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1 

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6 

BRINTON  S    LIBRARY  OF 

ABORIGINAL  AMERICAN    LITERATURE. 

NUMBER   II. 


THE 


IROOUOIS 
BOOK  OF  RITES. 


EDITED  BY 

HORATIO   HALE;  M.A., 

AUTHOR    OF   "THE   ETHNOGRAPHY   AND   PHILOLOGY   OF  THE   U.  S. 
EXPLORING   EXPEDITION,"    ETC. 


D.   G.   BRINTON. 

PHILADELPHIA, 

1883. 


.,. ,,.  .-?^- 


ii 


Copyright, 

1883, 

By  Daniel  G.  Brinton. 


PHILADELPHIA  : 

Press  of  Wm.  F.  Fell  &  Co., 

Printers  and  Electrotypers, 

I320-I334  Sansotn  St, 


^^S^^t-^ 


LIBRARY 


OP 


Aboriginal  American 


Literature. 


No.  II. 


EDITED  BY 

D.   G.    BRINTON,    M.D. 


'PHILADELPHIA: 
1883. 


^,.r  •-  -.  ,•■**(■.  »■-    -.,..A 


IJJIJ..»,JU- 


PREFACE. 


The  aboriginal  composition  now  presented  to  the  public  has 
some  peculiar  claims  on  the  attention  of  scholars.  As  a 
record,  if  we  accept  the  chronology  of  its  custodians, — which 
there  is  no  reason  to  question, — it  carries  back  the  authentic 
history  of  Northern  America  to  a  date  anterior  by  fifty  years 
to  the  arrival  of  Columbus.  Further  than  this,  the  plain  and 
credible  tradition  of  the  Iroquois,  confirmed  by  much  other 
evidence,  links  them  with  the  still  earlier  Alligewi,  or 
"  Moundbuilders,"  as  conquerors  with  the  conquered.  Thus 
the  annals  of  this  portion  of  the  continent  need  no  longer  begin 
with  the  landing  of  the  first  colonists,  but  can  go  back,  like 
those  of  Mexico,  Yucatan  and  Peru,  to  a  storied  past  of  singu- 
lar interest. 

The  chief  value  of  the  Book  of  Rites,  however,  is  ethno- 
logical, and  is  found  in  the  light  which  it  casts  on  the  political 
and  social  life,  as  well  as  on  the  character  and  capacity. 
of  the  people  to  whom  it  belongs.  We  see  in  them 
many  of  the  traits  which  Tacitus  discerned  in  our  ancestors 
of  the  German  forests,  along  with  some  qualities  of  a 
higher  cast  than  any  that  he  has  delineated.  The  love 
of  peace,  the  sentiment  of  human  brotherhood,  the  strong 
social  and  domestic  affections,  the  respect  for  law,  and  the 
reverence  for  ancestral  greatness,  which  are  apparent  in  this 
Indian  record  and  in  the  historical  events  which  illustrate  it, 
will  strike  most  readers  as  new  and  unexpected  developments. 

iii 


IV 


PREFACE. 


iii 

'I; 


The  circumstances  attending  the  composition  of  this 
record  and  its  recent  discovery  are  fully  detailed  in  the 
introductory  chapters.  There  also,  and  in  the  Notes 
and  Appendix,  such  further  explanations  are  given  as  the 
various  allusions  and  occasional  obscurities  of  the  Indian 
work  have  seemed  to  require.  It  is  proper  to  state  that  the 
particulars  comprised  in  the  following  pages  respecting  the 
traditions,  the  usages,  and  the  language  of  the  Iroquois 
(except  such  as  are  expressly  stated  to  have  been  derived  from 
books),  have  been  gathered  by  the  writer  in  the  course  of 
many  visits  made,  during  several  years  past,  to  their  Reserva- 
tions in  Canada  and  New  York.  As  a  matter  of  justice,  and 
also  as  an  evidence  of  the  authenticity  of  these  particulars, 
the  names  of  the  informants  to  whom  he  has  been  principally 
indebted  are  given  in  the  proper  places,  with  suitable 
acknowledgment  of  the  assistance  receiveo  from  each.  He 
ventures  to  hope  that  in  the  information  ;hus  obtained,  as 
well  as  in  the  Book  of  Rites  itself,  the  students  of  history 
and  of  the  science  of  man  will  find  some  new  material  of 
permanent  interest  and  value. 


CONTENTS. 


MAP, 


CHAPTER 
(I 
«( 
It 
<i 
II 
II 
«i 
II 
i< 


INTRODUCTION. 
I.  The  Huron-Iroquois  Nations, 
II.   The  League  and  its  Foundkrs, 
HI.   The  Book  of  Rites,     . 


PACiK 

8 


9 
i8 

•      39 

IV.  The  Condoling  Council. — Ci.ans  and  Classes,  48 

V.  The  Condolence  and  the  Installation,        59 

\T.  The  Laws  of  the  League,  ...      67 


VH.   Historical  Traditions, 
VIII.   The  Iroquois  Character, 
IX.   The  Iroquois  Policy, 
X.  T.ME  Iroquois  Language, 


THE  ROOK  OF  KITLS. 

The  Canienga  I?ook, 

The  Onondaga  Book 

Notes  on  the  Canienga  Hook, 
Notes  on  the  Onondaga  1!ook,     . 


75 
83 
88 

99 


116 
140 
146 
166 


APPENDIX. 
Note  A. — Names  of  the  I  luron-lroquois  Nations,  p.  171.  P.. — Meaning 
of  <^hio,  Ontario,  Ononlio,  Katvenniio,  p.  176.  C. — The  Era  of  the 
Confederacy,  p.  177.  D. — The  Hiawatha  Myths,  p.  180.  E. — The 
Iroquois  Towns,  p.  183.  F. — The  Pre-Aryan  Race  in  Europe  and 
America,  p.  186. 


GLOSSARY, 
INDEX,  '. 


191 
217 


I 


li- 


CRtEKi 


ChcuUiton 


lURONIROQUOIS  NATIONS 

AND  TUB 

SURROUNDING   TRIBES. 

A.D.  \a-Xi  TO  1780. 


■  t     I 


m 


m 


INTRODUCTION 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  Huron-Iroquois  Nations. 

At  the  outset  of  the  sixteenth  century,  when  the  five  tribes 
or  "nations"  of  the  Iroquois  confederacy  first  became  known 
to  European  explorers,  they  were  found  occupying  the  valleys 
and  uplands  of  northern  New  York,  in  that  picturescpie  and 
fruitful  region  which  stretches  westward  from  the  hcad-\.aters 
of  the  Hudson  to  the  Genesee.  The  Mohawks,  or  Caniengas 
— as  they  should  properly  be  called — possessed  the  Mohawk 
River,  and  covered  Lake  George  and  Lake  Clianiplain  with 
their  flotillas  of  large  canoes,  managed  with  the  boldness  and 
skill  which,  hereditary  in  their  descendants,  make  them  still 
the  best  boatmen  of  the  North  American  rivers.  West  of  the 
Caniengas  the  Oneidas  held  the  small  river  and  lake  which 
bear  their  name,  the  first  in  that  series  of  beautiful  lakes, 
united  by  interlacing  streams,  wliich  seemed  to  prefigure  in 
the  features  of  natnre  the  political  constitution  of  ilie  tribes 
who  possessed  them.  West  of  the  Oneidas,  the  imperious 
Onondagas,  the  central  and,  in  some  respects,  the  ruling 
nation  of  the  League,  i)ossessed  the  two  lakes  of  Onondaga 
and  Skeneateles,  together  with  the  common  outlet  of  this 
inland  lake  system,  the  Oswego  River,  to  its  issue  into  Lake 
Ontario.  Still  proceeding  westward,  the  lines  of  trail  and 
river  led  to  the  long  and  winding  stretch  of  Lake  Cayuga, 
about  which  were  clustered  the  towns  of  the  people  who  gave 
their  name  to  the  lake  ;  and  beyond  them,  over  the  wide 
expanse  of  hills  and  dales  surrounding  Lakes  Seneca  and 
Canandaigua,  were  scattered  the  populous  villages  of  the 
Senecas,  more  correctly  styled  Sonontowanas  or  Mountaineers. 
B  9 


10 


INTRODUCTION. 


Such  were  the  names  and  abodes  of  the  allied  nations, 
members  of  the  far-famed  Kanonsionni,  or  League  of  United 
Households,  who  were  destined  to  become  for  a  time  the  most 
notable  and  powerful  community  among  the  native  tribes  of 
North  America.  * 

The  region  which  has  been  described  was  not,  however, 
the  original  seat  of  those  nations.  They  belonged  to  that 
linguistic  family  which  is  known  to  ethnologists  as  the  Huron- 
Iroquois  stock.  This  stock  comprised  the  Hurons  or  Wyan- 
dots,  the  Attiwandaronks  or  Neutral  Nation,  the  Iroquois,  the 
Erics,  the  Ar.aastes  or  Conestogas,  the  Tuscaroras,  and  some 
smaller  bands.  The  tribes  of  this  family  occupied  a  long, 
irregular  area  of  inland  territory,  stretching  from  Canada  to 
North  Carolina.  The  northern  nations  were  all  clustered 
about  the  great  lakes ;  the  southern  bands  held  the  fertile 
valleys  bordering  the  head-waters  of  the  rivers  which  flowed 
from  the  Allegheny  mountains.  The  languages  of  all  these 
tribes  showed  a  close  affinity.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that 
their  ancestors  formed  one  body,  and,  indeed,  dwelt  at  one 
time  (as  has  been  well  said  of  the  ancestors  of  the  Indo- 
European  populations),  under  one  roof.  There  was  a  Huron- 
Iroquois  "  fiimily-pair,"  from  which  all  these  tribes  were 
descended.  In  what  part  of  the  world  this  ancestral  house- 
hold resided  is  a  question  which  admits  of  no  reply,  except 
from  the  merest  conjecture.  But  the  evidence  of  language,  so 
far  as  it  has  yet  been  examined,  seems  to  show  that  tlie  Huron 
clans  were  the  older  members  of  the  group ;  and  the  clear 
and  positive  traditions  of  all  the  surviving  tribes,  Hurons, 
Iroquois  and  Tuscaroras,  point  to  the  lower  St.  Lawrence  as 
the  earliest  known  abode  of  their   stock.*      Here  the  first 

1  See  Appen  lix,  note  A,  for  the  origin  and  meaning  of  the  names  com- 
monly {riven  to  tlie  Irotjuois  nations, 

2  See  Cusick,  History  of  the  Six  Nations,  p.  l6;  Golden,  Hist,  of  the 
Five  Nations,  p.  23  ;  Morgan.  League  of  the  Iroquois,  p.  5  ;  J.  V.  H. 
Clark,  Onondaga,  \o\.  I,  p.  34;  Peter  D.  Clarke, ///V/.  <j/"M^  lV)'anJots,p.  i. 


Mi 


THE    HURON-IROQUOIS    NATIONS. 


11 


explorer,  Carrier,  found  Indians  of  this  stock  at  Hochelaga 
and  Stadacon6,  now  the  sites  of  Montreal  and  Quebec. 
Centuries  before  his  time,  according  to  the  native  tradition, 
the  ancestors  of  the  Huron-Iroquois  family  had  dwelt  in  this 
locality,  or  still  further  east  and  nearer  to  the  river's  mouth. 
As  their  numbers  increased,  dissensions  arose.  The  hive 
swarmed,  and  band  after  band  moved  off  to  the  west  and 
south. 

As  they  spread,  they  encountered  people  of  other  stocks, 
with  whom  they  had  frequent  wars.  Their  most  constant 
and  most  dreaded  enemies  were  the  tribes  of  the  Algonkin 
family,  a  fierce  and  restless  people,  of  noithern  origin,  who 
everywhere  surrounded  them.  At  one  period,  however,  if 
the  concurrent  traditions  of  both  Iroquois  and  Algonkins  can 
be  believed,  these  contending  races  for  a  time  stayed  their 
strife,  and  united  their  forces  in  an  alliance  against  a  common 
and  formidable  foe.  This  foe  was  the  nation,  or  perhaps  the 
confederacy,  of  the  Alligewi  or  Talligewi,  the  semi-civilized 
"  Mound-builders"  of  the  Ohio  Valley,  who  have  left  their 
name  to  the  Allegheny  river  and  mountains,  and  whose  vast 
earthworks  are  still,  after  half-a-century  of  study,  the  perplexity 
of  archaeologists.  A  desperate  warfare  ensued,  which  lasted 
about  a  hundred  years,  and  ended  in  the  complete  overthrow 
and  destruction,  or  expulsion,  of  the  Alligewi.  The  survivors 
of  the  conquered  people  fled  southward,  and  are  supposed  to 
have  mingled  with  the  tribes  which  occupied  the  region 
extending  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  northward  to  the  Ten- 
nessee river  and  the  southern  spurs  of  the  Alleghenies.  Among 
these  tribes,  the  Choctaws  retained,  to  recent  times,  the 
custom  of  raising  huge  mounds  of  earth  for  religious  pur[)oses 
and  for  the  sites  of  their  habitations,  a  custom  which  they 
perhaps  learned  from  the  Alligewi  ;  and  the  Cherokees  are 
supposed  by  some  to  have  preserved  in  their  name  (Tsalaki) 
and  in  their  language  indications  of  an  origin  derived  in  part 
from  the  same  people.     Their  language,  which  shows,  in  its 


12 


INTRODUCTION. 


u 


grammar  and  many  of  its  words,  clear  evidence  of  affinity 
with  the  Irociuois,  lias  drawn  the  greater  portion  of  its  vocabu- 
lary from  some  foreign  source.  This  source  is  conjectured 
to  have  been  the  speech  of  the  AUigewi.  As  the  Cherokee 
tongue  is  evidently  a  mixed  language,  it  is  reasonable  to 
suppose  that  the  Cherokecs  are  a  mixed  people,  and  probably, 
like  the  English,  an  amalgamation  of  conquering  and  con- 
quered races.' 

The  time  which  has  elapsed  since  the  overthrow  of  the 
Alligewi  is  variously  estimated.  The  most  probable  conjec- 
ture places  it  at  a  j)eriod  about  a  tliousand  years  before  the 
jiresent  day.  It  was  a|)parently  soon  after  their  expulsion 
that  the  tribes  of  the  Huron-Iroquois  and  the  Algonkin  stocks 
scattered  themselves  over  the  wide  region  south  of  the  Great 
Lakes,  thus  left  open  to  tiieir  occupancy.  Our  concern  at 
present  is  only  with  the  first-named  family.  The  native 
tradition  of  their  migrations  has  been  briefly  related  by  a 
Tuscarora  Indian,  David  Cusick,  who  had  acquired  a  sufficient 
eu  'cation  to  become  a  Haptist  preacher,  and  has  left  us,  in 
his  '  Sketches  of  yVncient  History  of  the  Six  Nations,"  '  a 
record  f  singular  value.  His  confused  and  imperfect  style, 
the  Engh  h  of  a  half-educated  foreigner,  his  simple  faith  in 
the  wildest  "ij[ends,  and  his  absurd  chronology,  have  caused 
the  real  worti.  of  his  book,  as  a  chronicle  of  native  traditions, 
to  be  overlooke  '.  Wherever  the  test  of  linguistic  evidence, 
the  best  of  all  pre  ">fs  in  ethnological  (|uestions,  can  be  ajipliod 
to  his  statements  rt  itive  to  the  origin  and  connection  of  the 
tribes,  they  are  inv^  -ial)!y  confirmed.  From  his  account, 
from  the  evidence  of  1  nguage,  and  from  various  corroborating 

'  This  (jucstion  has  b  en  discussed  liy  llic  writer  in  a  p.ipcr  on 
"  Indian  Mi>^rations  as  i  i'idenced  iiy  Language, "  read  before  the 
American  Association  for  I  le  Adv.ancenient  of  Science,  at  their  Montreal 
Meelinfj,  in  August,  1882,  :  iid  nubbslied  in  the  Americin  Antiquarian 
for  January  and  April,  188^  . 

-  Fublislicd  at  Lewistoi  ,  N.  Y.,  in  1825,  and  reprinted  r.t  Lockport, 
in  1848. 


i'i 


THE    1IUR0N-1R0(W0IS    NATIONS. 


13 


indications,  the  course  of  the  iTiigrutions  may,  it  is  believed, 
be  traced  with  tolerable  ace  iracy.  Their  first  station  or 
starting  point,  on  the  south  side  of  the  Lakes,  w.is  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Oswego  river.  Advancing  to  the  southeast  tlie 
emigrants  struck  the  Hudson  river,  and,  according  to  Cusick's 
story,  followed  its  course  southward  to  the  ocean.  Here  a 
separation  took  place.  A  portion  remained,  and  kept  on 
their  way  toward  the  south;  but  the  "main  company," 
repelled  ])y  the  uninviting  soil  and  the  turbulent  waste  of 
waves,  and  remembering  the  attractive  region  of  valleys, 
lakes,  and  streams  through  which  they  had  passed,  retraced 
their  steps  northward  till  they  reached  the  Mohawk  river. 
Along  this  stream  and  the  uijper  waters  of  the  Hudson  they 
made  their  first  abode  ;  and  here  they  remained  until,  as  their 
historian  quaintly  and  truly  records,  "  their  language  was 
altered."  The  Huron  speech  became  the  Irocpiois  tongue, 
in  the  form  in  which  it  is  spoken  by  the  Caniengas,  or 
Mohawks.  In  Irocpiois  tradition,  and  in  the  constitution  of 
their  league,  the  Canienga  nation  ranks  as  the  "  eldest 
brother  "  of  the  family.  A  comparison  of  the  dialects  proves 
the  tradition  to  be  well  founded.  The  Canienga  language 
approaches  nearest  to  the  Huron,  and  is  undoubtedly  the 
.source  from  wliich  all  the  other  Iroquois  dialects  are  derived. 
Cusick  states  positively  that  the  other  "  families,"  as  he 
styles  them,  of  the  Iroquois  household,  leaving  the  Mohawks 
in  their  original  abode,  proceeded  step  by  step  to  the  west- 
ward. The  Oneidas  halted  at  their  creek,  the  Onondagas  at 
their  mountain,  the  Cayugas  at  their  lake,  and  the  Senecas  or 
Sonontowans,  the  Great  Hill  people,  at  a  lofty  eminence 
which  rises  south  of  the  Canandaigua  lake.  In  due  time,  as 
he  is  careful  to  record,  the  same  result  ha])pened  as  had 
occurred  with  the  Caniengas.  The  language  of  each  canton 
"  was  altered  ;"  yet  not  so  much,  he  might  have  added,  but 
that  all  the  tribes  could  still  hold  intercourse,  and  compre- 
hend one  another's  speech. 


1^ 


14 


INTRODUCTION. 


i'. 


i 


I 


li!  \ 
•if 

1  i!i 


A  wider  isolation  and,  consequently,  a  somewhat  greater 
change  oi  language,  befell  the  "  sixth  family."  Pursuing  their 
course  to  the  Avest  they  touched  Lake  Erie,  and  thence, 
turning  to  the  southeast,  came  to  the  Allegheny  river.  Cusick, 
however,  does  nc«:  know  it  by  this  name.  He  calls  it  the 
Ohio, — in  his  un.,outh  orthography  and  with  a  locative  parti- 
cle added,  the  Ouau-we-yo-ka, — which,  he  says,  means  "a 
principal  stream,  now  Mississippi."  This  statement,  unin- 
telligible as  at  the  first  glance  it  seems,  is  strictly  accurate. 
The  word  Ohio  undoubtedly  signified,  in  the  ancient  Iroquois 
speech,  as  it  still  means  in  the  modern  Tuscarora,  not 
"beautiful  river,"  but  "great  river."*  It  was  so  called  as 
being  the  main  stream  which  receives  the  affluents  of  the  Ohio 
valley.  In  the  view  of  the  Iroquois,  this  "main  stream" 
commences  with  what  we  call  the  Allegheny  river,  continues 
in  what  we  term  the  Ohio,  and  then  flows  on  in  what  we  style 
the  Mississippi, — of  which,  in  their  view,  the  upper  Mississippi 
is  merely  an  affluent.  In  Iroquois  hydrography,  the  Ohio — 
the  great  river  of  the  ancient  Alligewi  domain — is  the  central 
stream  to  which  all  the  rivers  of  the  mighty  West  converge. 

This  stream  the  emigrants  now  attempted  to  cross.  They 
found,  according  to  the  native  annalist,  a  rude  bridge  in  a 
huge  grape-vine  which  trailed  its  length  across  the  stream. 
Over  this  a  part  of  the  company  passed,  and  then,  unfortu- 
nately, the  vine  broke.  The  residue,  unable  to  cross, 
remained  on  the  hither  side,  and  became  afterwards  the 
enemies  of  those  who  had  passed  over.  Cusick  anticipates 
that  his  story  of  the  grape-vine  may  seem  to  some  incredible  ; 
but  he  asks,  with  amusing  simplicity,  "why  more  so  than 
that  the  Israelites  should  cross  the  Red  Sea  on  dry  land?" 
That  the  precise  incident,  thus  frankly  admitted  to  be  of  a 
miraculous  character,  really  took  place,  we  are  not  required  to 
believe.  But  that  emigrants  of  the  Huron-Iroquois  stock 
penetrated  southward  along  the  Allegheny  range,  and  that 
1  See  Appendix,  note  B. 


THE   HURON-IROQUOIS   NATIONS. 


15 


some  of  them  remained  near  the  river  of  that  name,  is  un- 
doubted fact.  Those  who  thus  remained  were  known  by 
various  names,  mostly  derived  from  one  root — Andastes, 
Andastogues,  Conestogas,  and  the  like — and  bore  a  somewhat 
memorable  part  in  Iroquois  and  Pennsylvanian  history.  Those 
who  continued  their  course  beyond  the  river  found  no  place 
sufficiently  inviting  to  arrest  their  march  until  they  arrived  at 
the  fertile  vales  which  spread,  intersected  by  many  lucid 
stieams,  between  the  Roanoke  and  the  Neuse  rivers.  Here  they 
fixed  their  abode,  and  became  the  ancestors  of  the  powerful 
Tuscarora  nation.  In  the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth  century, 
just  before  its  disastrous  war  with  the  colonies,  this  nation, 
according  to  the  Carolina  surveyor,  Lawson,  numbered  fifteen 
towns,  and  could  set  in  the  field  a  force  of  twelve  hundred 
warriors. 

The  Eries,  who  dwelt  west  of  the  Senecas,  along  the 
southern  shore  of  the  lake  which  now  retains  their  name, 
were,  according  to  Cusick,  an  offshoot  of  the  Seneca  tribe  ; 
and  there  is  no  reason  for  doubting  the  correctness  of  his 
statement.  After  their  overthrow  by  the  Iroquois,  in  1656, 
many  of  the  Eries  were  incorporated  with  the  ancestral  nation, 
and  contributed,  with  other  accessions  from  the  Hurons  and 
the  Attiwandaronks,  to  swell  its  numbers  far  beyond  those  of 
the  other  nations  of  the  confederacy. 

To  conclude  this  review  of  the  Huron-Iroquois  group, 
something  further  should  be  said  about  the  fortunes  of  the 
parent  tribe,  or  rather  congeries  of  tribes, — for  the  Huron 
household,  like  the  Iroquois,  had  become  divided  into  seve- 
ral septs.  Like  the  Iroquois,  also,  they  have  not  lacked  an 
annalist  of  their  own  race.  A  Wyandot  Indian,  Peter 
Doyentate  Clarke,  who  emigrated  with  the  main  body  of  his 
people  to  the  Indian  Territory,  and  afterwards  returned  for  a 
time  to  the  remnant  of  his  tribe  dwelling  near  Aniherst- 
burg,  in  Canada,  published  in  1870  a  small  volume  entitled 
"  Origin  aiid  Traditional  History  of  the  Wyandots."»  The 
1  Printed  by  Hunter,  Rose  &  Co.,  of  Toronto. 


r  5 
I 


\i 


I 


I     s 


u 


Is  ^ 


IG 


INTRODUCTION. 


English  education  of  the  writer,  like  that  of  the  Tuscarora  histo- 
rian, wiis  defective ;  and  it  is  evident  that  his  people,  in  their 
many  wanderings,  had  lost  much  of  their  legendary  lore. 
But  the  fact  that  they  resided  in  ancient  times  near  the  pre- 
sent site  of  Montreal,  in  close  vicinity  to  the  Iroquois  (whom 
he  styles,  after  their  largest  tribe,  the  Senecas),  is  recorded  as  a 
well-remembered  portion  of  their  history.  The  flight  of  the 
Wyandots  to  the  northwest  is  declared  to  have  been  caused 
by  a  war  which  broke  out  between  them  and  the  Iroquois. 
This  statement  is  opposed  to  the  common  opinion,  which 
ascribes  the  expulsion  of  the  Hurons  from  their  eastern  abode 
to  the  hostility  of  the  Algonkins.  It  is,  however,  probably 
correct ;  for  the  Hurons  retreated  into  the  midst  of  the 
Algonkin  tribes,  with  whom  they  were  found  by  Champlain 
to  be  on  terms  of  amity  and  even  of  alliance,  while  they  were 
engaged  in  a  deadly  war  with  the  Iro(j[Uois.  The  place  to 
which  they  withdrew  was  a  nook  In  the  Georgian  Bay,  where 
their  strongly  palisaded  towns  and  well-cultivated  fields 
excited  the  admiration  of  the  great  French  explorer.  Their 
object  evidently  was  to  place  as  wide  a  space  as  possible 
between  themselves  and  their  inveterate  enemies.  Unfortu- 
nately, as  is  well  known,  this  precaution,  and  even  the  aid  of 
their  Algonkin  and  French  allies,  proved  inadequate  to  save 
them.  The  story  of  their  disastrous  overthrow,  traced  by  the 
masterly  hand  of  Parkman,  is  one  of  the  most  dismal  passages 
of  aboriginal  history. 

The  only  people  of  this  stock  remaining  to  be  noticed  are 
I  the  Attiwandaronks,  or  Neutral  Nation.  They  dwelt  south  of 
the  Hurons,  on  the  northern  borders  of  Lakes  Erie  and 
Ontario.  They  had,  indeed,  a  few  towns  beyond  those  lakes, 
situated  east  of  the  Niagara  river,  between  the  Iroquois  and 
the  Eries.  They  received  their  name  of  Neutrals  from 
the  fact  that  in  the  war  between  the  Irotjuois  and  the 
Hurons  they  remained  at  peace  with  both  parties.  This 
policy,  however,  did  not  save  them  from  the  fate  which  over- 


.''■  iv. 


THE    IIUR0X-IK0(1U()IS    NATIONS. 


17 


took  their  Huron  friends.  In  the  year  1650  the  Iroquois  set 
upon  them,  destroyed  their  towns,  and  dispersed  the  inhabit- 
ants, carrying  off  great  numbers  of  them,  as  was  their  custom, 
to  be  incorporated  with  their  own  population.  Of  their 
language  we  only  know  that  it  differed  but  sliglitly  from  the 
Huron."  *  Whether  they  were  an  offshoot  from  the  Hurons 
or  from  the  Irocjuois  is  uncertain.  It  is  not  unlikely  that  their 
separation  from  the  parent  stock  took  place  earlier  tlian  that 
of  the  Iroquois,  and  that  they  were  thus  enabled  for  a  time  to 
avoid  becoming  embroiled  in  the  quarrel  between  the  two 
great  divisions  of  their  race. 

1  "  Our  Hurons  call  the  Neutral  Nation  Attiwandaronk,  meaning  thereby 
'  People  of  a  speech  a  little  different.'  " — Relation  of  1641,  p.  72.  liruyas, 
in  his  "  Iroquois  Root-uwr,h,''  gives  us  i^awmJa  (or  gaiwiiiin),  speech, 
M\<\  guKO^Kzvestare,  confusion  of  voices. 


I' 


lipii^KiniiimiuBiiii 


1 


CHAPTER  II. 
The  League  and  Its  Founders. 

How  long  the  five  kindred  but  independent  tribes  who 
were  afterwards  to  compose  the  Iroquois  confederacy  re- 
mained isolated  and  apart  from  one  another,  is  uncertain. 
That  this  condition  endured  for  several  centuries  is  a  fact 
which  cannot  be  questioned.  Tradition  here  is  confirmed 
by  the  evidence  of  language.  We  have  good  dictionaries  of 
two  of  their  dialects,  the  Canienga  (or  Mohawk)  and  the 
Onondaga,  compiled  two  centuries  ago  by  the  Jesuit  mission- 
aries ;  and  by  comparing  them  with  vocabularies  of  the  same 
dialects,  as  spoken  at  the  present  day,  we  can  ascertain  the 
rate  of  change  which  prevails  in  their  languages.  Judging  by 
this  test,  the  difference  which  existed  between  these  two  dialects 
in  1680  (when  the  Jesuit  dictionaries  were  written)  could 
hardly  have  arisen  in  less  than  four  hundred  years;  and  that 
which  exists  between  them  and  the  Tuscarora  would  demand 
a  still  longer  time.  Their  traditions  all  affirm — what  we 
should  be  prepared  to  believe — that  this  period  was  one  of 
perpetual  troubles.  The  tribes  were  constantly  at  war,  either 
among  themselves,  or  with  the  neighboring  nations  of  their 
own  and  other  stocks,  Hurons,  Andastes,  Algonkins,  Tuteloes, 
and  even  with  the  distant  Cherokees. 

There  are  reasons  for  believing  that  attempts  were  made 
during  this  period  to  combine  the  tribes,  or  some  of  them,  in 
a  federal  alliance.  But  if  such  connections  were  formed,  they 
proved  only  temporary  leagues,  which  were  dissolved  when 
the  dangers  that  had  called  them  into  being  had  passed  away. 
A  leader  of  peculiar  qualities,  aided  by  favoring  circumstances, 
was  able  at  last  to  bring  about  a  more  permanent  union. 
There  is  no  exact  chronology  by  which  the  date  of  this  im- 

18 


-i  { 


( 


THE    LEAGUE   AND    ITS    FOUNDERS. 


19 


portant  event  can  be  ascertained  ;  but  the  weight  of  evidence 
fixes  it  at  about  the  middle  of  the  fifteenth  century.' 

At  this  time  two  great  dangers,  the  one  from  without,  the 
other  from  within,  pressed  upon  these  tribes.  The  Mohegans, 
or  Mohicans,  a  powerful  Algonkin  people,  whose  settlements 
stretched  along  the  Hudson  river,  south  of  the  Mohawk,  and 
extended  thence  eastward  into  New  England,  waged  a  despe- 
rate war  against  them.  In  this  war  the  most  easterly  of  the 
Iroquois,  the  Caniengas  and  Oneidas,  bore  the  brunt  and  were 
the  greatest  sufferers.  On  the  other  hand,  the  two  western 
nations,  the  Senecas  and  Cayugas,  had  a  peril  of  their  own  to 
encounter.  The  central  nation,  the  Onondagas,  were  then 
under  the  control  of  a  dreaded  chief,  whose  name  is  variously 

^  The  evidence  on  this  point  is  given  in  the  Appenilix,  note  C.  It 
should  be  mentioned  that  some  portion  of  the  following  narrative  formed 
part  of  a  paper  entitled  "  A  Lawgiver  of  the  Stone  Age,"  which  was  read 
at  the  Cincinnati  meeting  of  the  American  Association  for  the  Advance- 
ment of  Science,  in  August,  1882,  and  was  published  in  the  Proceedings  of 
the  meeting.  The  particulars  comprised  in  it  were  drawn  chiefly  from  notes 
gathered  during  many  visits  to  the  Reserve  of  the  Six  Nations,  on  the 
Grand  River,  in  Ontario,  supplemented  by  information  obtained  in  two 
visits  to  the  Onondaga  Reservation,  in  the  State  of  New  York,  near  Syra- 
cuse. My  informants  were  the  most  experienced  councillors,  and  especially 
the  "  wampum-keepers,"  the  official  annalists  of  their  people.  Their 
names,  and  some  account  of  them,  will  l)e  given  in  a  subsef|uent  chapter. 
It  should  be  mentioned  that  while  the  histories  received  at  the  two  Inrali- 
ties  were  generally  in  close  accord,  thus  furnishing  a  strong  proof  of  the 
correctness  with  which  they  have  been  handed  down,  there  were  circum- 
stances remembered  at  each  place  which  had  not  been  preserved  at  the 
other.  The  Onondagas,  as  was  natural,  retained  a  fuller  recollection  of  the 
events  which  took  place  before  the  flight  of  Hiawatha  to  the  Caniengas; 
while  the  annalists  of  the  Latter  trilse  were  better  versed  in  the  subsequent 
occurrences  attending  the  formation  of  the  League.  These  facts  should  be 
borne  in  mind  by  any  in(|uirer  who  may  undertake  to  repeat  or  continue 
these  investigations.  When  the  narratives  varied,  as  they  sometimes  did  in 
minor  particulars,  I  have  followed  that  which  seemed  most  in  accordance 
with  the  general  tenor  of  the  history  and  with  the  evidence  furnished  by 
the  Book  of  Rites. 


»  I 


20 


INTRODUCTION. 


*i 


ill  i  r, 


lili 


given,  Atotarho  (or,  with  a  prefixed  particle,  Thafotarho"^, 
Watatotahro,  Tadodaho,  according  to  the  dialect  of  tlie  sjK'aker 
and  theorthography  of  the  writer.  He  was  a  man  of  great  force 
of  character  and  of  formidable  (jualities — haughty,  ambitious, 
crafty  and  bold — a  determined  and  successful  warrior,  and  at 
home,  so  far  as  the  constitution  of  an  Indian  tribe  would  allow, 
a  stern  and  remorseless  tyrant.  He  tolerated  noecpial.  The 
chiefs  who  ventured  to  oppose  him  were  taken  off  one  after 
another  by  secret  means,  or  were  comi)elled  to  flee  for  safety 
to  other  tribes.  His  subtlety  and  artifices  had  acfjuired  for 
him  the  reputation  of  a  wizard.  He  knew,  they  say,  what 
was  going  on  at  a  distance  as  well  as  if  he  were  present ;  and 
he  could  destroy  his  enemies  by  some  magical  art,  while  he 
himself  was  far  away.  In  spite  of  the  fear  which  he  inspired, 
his  domination  would  probably  not  have  been  endured  by  an 
Indian  community,  but  for  his  success  in  war.  He  had  made 
himself  and  his  people  a  terror  to  the  Cayugas  and  the  Senecas. 
According  to  one  account,  he  had  subdued  both  of  those 
tribes ;  but  the  record-keepers  of  the  present  day  do  not 
confirm  this  statement,  which  indeed  is  not  consistent  with 
the  subsequent  history  of  the  confederation. 

The  name  Atotarho  signifies  "entangled."  The  usual 
process  by  which  mythology,  after  a  few  generations,  makes 
fables  out  of  names,  has  not  been  wanting  here.  In  the 
legends  which  the  Indian  story-tellers  recount  in  winter,  about 
'  their  cabin  fires,  Atotarho  figures  as  a  being  of  preterhuman 
nature,  whose  head,  in  lieu  of  hair,  is  adorned  with  living 
snakes.  A  rude  pictorial  representation  shows  him  seated  and 
giving  audience,  in  horrible  state,  with  the  upper  part  of  his 
person  enveloped  by  these  writhing  and  entangled  reptiles. ' 

1  This  picture  and  some  other  e(|ually  grotesque  ilhistrations,  produced 
in  a  primitive  style  of  wood  engraving,  are  prefixed  to  David  Cusick's 
History  of  the  Six  Nations.  The  artist  to  whom  we  owe  them  was  pro- 
bably the  historian  himself.  My  accomplished  friend,  Mrs.  E.  A.  Smith, 
whose  studies  have  thrown  much  light  upon  the  mythology  and  language 


THE   LEAGUE   AND   ITS   FOUNDERS. 


21 


lUit  the  grave  Councillors  of  the  Canadian  Reservation, 
wlio  recite  liis  history  as  they  have  heard  it  from  tiicir  fathers 
at  eve-y  installation  of  a  high  chief,  do  not  repeat  these 
inventions  of  marvel-loving  gossips,  and  only  smile  with  good- 
humored  derision  when  they  are  referred  to. 

Tlicre  was  at  this  time  among  the  Onondagas  a  chief  of 
high  rank,  whose  name,  variously  written — Hiawatha,  llayen- 
watha,  Ayonhwahtha,  Taoungwatha — is  rendered,  "  he  who 
seeks  the  wampum  belt."  He  had  made  himself  greatly 
esteemed  by  his  wisdom  and  his  benevolence.  He  was  now 
I)ast  middle  age.  Tii  ugh  many  of  his  friends  and  relatives 
had  perished  by  the  machinations  of  Atotarho,  he  himself  / 
had  been  spared.  The  (qualities  which  gained  him  general 
respect  had,  perhaps,  not  been  without  influence  even  on  that 
redoubtable  cliief.  Hiawatha  had  long  beheld  with  grief 
the  evils  which  afllicted  not  only  his  own  nation,  but  all  the 
other  tribes  about  them,  through  the  continual  wars  in  which 
they  were  engaged,  and  the  misgovernment  and  miseries  at 
home  which  these  wars  produced.  With  much  meditation 
he  had  elaborated  in  his  mind  the  scheme  of  a  vast  confede- 
ration which  would  ensure  universal  peacv  In  the  mere  plan 
of  a  confederation  there  was  nothing  new.  There  are  proba- 
bly few,  if  any,  Indian  tribes  which  have  not,  at  one  time  or 
another,  been  members  of  a  league  or  confederacy.  It  may 
almost  be  said  to  be  their  normal  condition.  But  the  plan 
which  Hiawatha  had  evolved  differed  from  all  others  in  two 
particulars.  The  system  which  he  devised  was  to  be  not  a 
loose  and  transitory  league,  but  a  permanent  government. 
While  each  nation  was  to  retain  its  own  council  and  its  man- 
agement of  local  affairs,  the  general  control  was  to  be  lodged 
in  a  federal  senate,  composed  of  representatives  elected  by  each 
nation,  holding  office  during  good  behavior,  and  acknow- 

of  the  Iroquois  nations,  and  especially  of  the  Tuscaroras,  was  ft)rtunate 
enough  to  obtain  either  the  originals  or  early  copies  of  these  extraonliiiary 
efl'orts  of  native  art. 


I 


22 


INTRODUCTION. 


t 


.1 


^■: '\ 


ill 


ledged  as  ruling  chiefs  throughout  the  whole  confederacy. 
Still  further,  and  more  remarkably,  the  confederation  was  not 
to  be  a  limited  one.  It  was  to  be  indefinitely  expansible. 
The  avowed  design  of  its  proposer  was  to  abolish  war 
altogether.  He  wished  the  federation  to  extend  until  all  the 
tribes  of  men  should  be  included  in  it,  and  peace  should 
everywhere  reign.  Such  is  the  positive  testimony  of  the 
Iro(iuois  themselves  ;  and  their  statement,  as  will  be  seen,  is 
supi)orted  by  historical  evidence. 

Hiawatha's  first  endeavor  was  to  enlist  his  own  nation  in 
the  cause.  He  summoned  a  meeting  of  the  chiefs  and  people 
of  the  Onondaga  towns.  The  summons,  proceeding  from  a 
chief  of  his  rank  and  reputation,  attracted  a  large  concourse. 
"  They  came  together,"  said  the  narrator,  "along  the  creeks, 
from  all  parts,  to  the  general  council-fire."  ^  But  what  effect 
the  grand  projects  of  the  chief,  enforced  by  the  eloquence  for 
which  he  was  noted,  might  have  had  upon  his  auditors,  could 
not  be  known.  For  there  appeared  among  them  a  well-known 
j  figure,  grim,  silent  and  forbidding,  whose  terrible  aspect  over- 
awed the  assemblage.  The  unspoken  displeasure  of  Atotarho 
was  sufficient  to  stifle  all  debate,  and  the  meeting  dispersed. 
This  result,  which  seems  a  singular  conclusion  of  an  Indian 
council — the  most  independent  and  free-spoken  of  all  gather- 
ings— is  sufficiently  explained  by  the  fact  that  Atotarho  had 
organized,  among  the  more  reckless  warriors  of  his  tribe,  a 
band  of  unscrupulous  partisans,  who  did  his  bidding  without 
question,  and  took  off  by  secret  murder  all  persons  against 
whom  he  bore  a  grudge.     The  knowledge  that  his  followers 

*  The  narrator  here  referred  to  was  the  Onondaga  cliief,  I'hilip  Jones, 
known  in  the  council  as  Hanesehen  (in  Canienga,  Enneserarenh),  who,  in 
October,  1S75,  with  two  other  chiefs  of  high  rank,  and  the  interpreter, 
Daniel  La  Tort,  spent  an  evening  in  explaining  to  me  the  wampum  records 
\  preserved  at  "Onondaga  Castle,"  and  repeating  the  history  of  the  forma- 
tion of  the  confederacy.  The  later  portions  of  the  narrative  were  ob- 
tained principally  from  the  chiefs  of  the  Canadian  Iroquois,  as  will  be 
hereafter  explained. 


THE    LEAGUE    AND   ITS    FOUNDERS. 


23 


were  scattered  througfi  the  assembly,  prepared  to  mark  for 
destruction  those  who  should  offend  him,  might  make  the 
boldest  orator  chary  of  speech.  Hiawatha  alone  was  un- 
daunted. He  summoned  a  second  meeting,  which  was 
attended  by  a  smaller  number,  and  broke  up  as  before,  in 
confusion,  on  Atotarho's  appearance.  The  unwearied  reformer 
sent  forth  his  runners  a  third  time  ;  but  the  people  were  dis- 
heartened. When  the  day  of  the  council  arrived,  no  one 
attended.  Then,  continued  the  narrator,  Hiawatha  seated  him- 
self on  the  ground  in  sorrow.  He  enveloped  his  head  in  his 
mantle  of  skins,  and  remained  for  a  long  time  bowed  down  in 
grief  and  thought.  At  length  he  arose  and  left  the  town,  taking 
his  course  toward  the  southeast.  He  had  formed  a  bold  design. 
As  the  councils  of  his  own  nation  were  closed  to  him,  he 
would  have  recourse  to  those  of  other  tribes.  At  a  short 
distance  from  the  town  (so  minutely  are  the  circumstances 
recounted)  he  passed  his  great  antagonist,  seated  near  a  well- 
known  spring,  stern  and  silent  as  usual.  No  word  passed 
between  the  determined  representatives  of  war  and  peace ; 
but  it  was  doubtless  not  without  a  sensation  of  triumphant 
pleasure  that  the  ferocious  war-chief  saw  his  only  rival  and 
opponent  in  council  going  into  what  seemed  to  be  voluntary 
exile.  Hiawatha  plunged  into  the  forest ;  he  climbed  moun- 
tains ;  he  crossed  a  lake ;  he  floated  down  the  Mohawk  river 
in  a  canoe.  Many  incidents  of  his  journey  are  told,  and  in  this 
part  of  the  narrative  alone  some  occurrences  of  a  marvelous 
cast  are  related,  even  by  the  official  historians.  Indeed,  the 
flight  of  Hiawatha  from  Onondaga  to  the  country  of  the 
Caniengas  is  to  the  Five  Nations  what  the  flight  of  Mohammed 
from  Mecca  to  Medina  is  to  iiie  votnries  of  Islam.  It  is  the 
turning  point  of  their  history.  In  embellishing  the  narrative 
at  this  point,  their  imagination  has  been  allowed  a  free  course. 
Leaving  aside  these  marvels,  however,  we  need  only  refer 
here  to  a  single  incident,  which  may  well  enough  have 
been  of  actual  occurrence.     A  lake  which  Hiawatha  crossed 


■; 


u 


i 


24 


INTRODUCTION. 


■i     I 


^. 


i     I  I 


I      li 


iif 


'i( 


had  shores  abounding  in  small  white  shells.  These  he 
gathered  and  strung  upon  strings,  which  he  disposed  upon  his 
ibreast,  as  a  token  to  all  whom  he  should  meet  that  he  came 
las  a  messenger  of  peace.  And  this,  according  to  one  author- 
ity, was  the  origin  of  wampum,  of  which  Hiawatha  was  the 
inventor.  That  honor,  however,  is  one  which  must  be  denied 
to  him.  The  evidence  of  sepulchral  relics  shows  that  wampum 
was  known  to  the  mysterious  Mound-builders,  as  well  as  in  all 
succeeding  ages.  Moreover,  if  the  significance  of  white 
wampum-strings  as  a  token  of  peace  had  not  been  well  known 
in  his  day,  Hiawatha  would  not  have  relied  upon  them  as  a 
means  of  proclaiming  his  pacific  purpose. 

Early  one  morning  he  arrived  at  a  Canienga  town,  the 
residence  of  the  noted  chief  Dekanawidah,  whose  name, 
in  point  of  celebrity,  ranks  in  Iroquois  tradition  with  those 
of  Hiawatha  and  Atotarho.  It  is  probable  that  he  was 
known  by  reputation  to  Hiawatha,  and  not  unlikely  that  they 
were  related.  According  to  one  account  Dekanawidah  was 
an  Onondaga,  adoi)ted  among  the  Caniengas.  Another 
narrative  makes  him  a  Canienga  by  birth.  The  proba- 
bility seems  to  be  that  he  was  the  son  of  an  Onondaga  father, 
who  had  been  adopted  by  the  Caniengas,  and  of  a  Canienga 
mother.  That  he  was  not  of  pure  Canienga  blood  is  shown 
by  the  fact,  which  is  remembered,  that  his  father  had  had 
successively  three  wives,  one  belonging  to  each  of  the  three 
clans,  Bear,  Wolf,  and  Tortoise,  which  composed  the  Canienga 
nation.  If  the  father  had  been  of  that  nation  (  Canienga ),  he 
would  have  belonged  to  one  of  the  Canienga  clans,  and  could 
not  then  (according  to  the  Indian  law)  have  married  into  it. 
He  had  seven  sons,  including  Dekanawidah,  who,  with  their . 
families,  dwelt  together  in  one  of  the  "  long  houses  "  common 
in  that  day  among  the  Iroquois.  These  ties  of  kindred, 
together  with  this  fraternal  strength,  and  his  reputation  as  a 
sagacious  councillor,  gave  Dekanawidah  great  influence  among 
his  people.     But,  in  the  Indian  sense,  he  was  not  the  leading 


t  ! 


'  i; 


,'*■ 


THE   LEAGUE   AND    ITS    FOUNDERS.  liO 

chief.  This  position  belonged  to  Tekarihoken  (better  known 
in  books  as  Tecarihoga),  whose  primacy  as  the  first  chief  of 
the  eldest  among  the  Iroquois  nations  was  then,  and  is  still, 
universally  admitted.  Each  nation  has  always  had  a  head-, 
chief,  to  whom  belonged  the  hereditary  right  and  duty  of 
lighting  the  council  fire  and  taking  the  first  place  in  public 
meetings.  But  among  the  Indians,  as  in  other  communities, 
hereditary  rank  and  personal  influence  do  not  always,  or 
indeed,  ordinarily,  go  together.  If  Hiawatha  could  gain 
over  Oekanawidah  to  his  views,  he  would  have  done  much 
tow        the  accomplishment  of  his  purposes. 

In  the  early  dawn  he  seated  himself  on  a  fallen  trunk,  near 
the  spring  from  which  the  inhabitants  of  the  long  house  drew 
their  water.  Presently  the  wife  of  one  of  the  brothers  came 
out  with  a  vessel  of  elm-bark,  and  approached  the  spring. 
Hiawatha  sat  silent  and  motionless.  Something  in  his  aspect 
awed  the  woman,  who  feared  to  address  him.  She  returned 
to  the  house,  and  said  to  Dekanawidah,  "A  man,  or  a  figure 
like  a  man,  is  seated  by  the  spring,  having  his  breast  covered 
with  strings  of  white  shells."  "  It  is  a  guest,"  said  the  chief 
to  one  of  his  brothers;  "go  and  bring  him  in.  AVe  will 
make  him  welcome."  Thus  Hiawatha  and  Dekanawidah 
first  met.  They  found  in  each  other  kindred  spirits.  The 
sagacity  of  the  Canienga  chief  grasped  at  once  the  advantages 
of  the  proposed  plan,  and  the  two  worked  together  in  perfect- 
ing it,  and  in  commending  it  to  the  people.  After  much 
discussion  in  council,  the  adhesion  of  the  Canienga  nation 
was  secured.  Dekanawidah  then  despatched  two  of  his 
brothers  as  ambassadors  to  the  nearest  tribe,  the  Oneidas,  to 
lay  the  project  before  them.  The  Oneida  nation  is  deemed 
to  be  a  comparatively  recent  offshoot  from  the  Caniengas. 
The  difference  of  language  is  slight,  showing  that  their  sepa- 
ration was  much  later  than  that  of  the  Onondagas.  In  the 
figurative  speech  of  the  Iroquois,  the  Oneida  is  the  son,  a-  ' 
the  Onondaga  is  the  brother,  of  the  Canienga.  Dekanawic  :\ 
c 


I    ^ 


-'•^"'-•^■yj; 


26 


INTRODUCTION. 


II 


V 


' 


had  good  reason  to  expect  that  it  would  not  prove  difficult  to 
win  the  consent  of  the  Oneidas  to  the  proposed  scheme.  But 
delay  and  deliberation  mark  all  public  acts  of  the  Indians. 
The  ambassadors  found  the  leading  chief,  Odatsehte,  at  his 
town  on  the  Oneida  creek.  He  received  their  message  in  a 
friendly  way,  but  required  time  for  his  people  to  consider  it 
in  council.  "Come  back  in  another  day,"  he  said  to  the 
messengers.  In  the  political  speech  of  the  Indians,  a  day  is 
understood  to  mean  a  year.  The  envoys  carried  back  the 
reply  to  Dekanawidah  and  Hiawatha,  who  knew  that  they 
could  do  nothing  but  wait  the  prescribed  time.  After  the  lapse 
of  a  year,  they  repaired  to  the  place  of  meeting.  Tlie  treaty 
which  initiated  the  great  league  was  then  and  there  rati- 
fied by  the  representatives  of  the  Canienga  and  Oneida 
nations.  The  name  of  Odatsehte  means  "the  quiver- 
bearer;  "  and  as  Atotarho,  "  the  entangled,"  is  fabled  to 
have  had  his  head  wreathed  with  snaky  locks,  and  as  Hiawatha, 
"the  wampum-seeker,"  is  represented  to  have  wrought  shells 
into  wampum,  so  the  Oneida  chief  is  reputed  to  have  ap- 
peared at  this  treaty  bearing  at  his  shoulder  a  quiver  full  of 
arrows. 

The  Onondagas  lay  next  to  the  Oneidas.  To  them,  or 
rather  to  their  terrible  chief,  the  next  application  was  made. 
The  first  meeting  of  Atotarho  and  Dekanawidah  is  a  notable 
event  in  Iro([uois  history.  At  a  later  day,  a  native  artist 
sought  to  represent  it  in  an  historical  picture,  whicli  has  been 
already  referred  to.  Atotarho  is  seated  in  solitary  and  surly 
dignity,  smoking  a  long  pipe,  his  head  and  body  encircled 
with  contorted  and  angry  serpents.  Standing  before  him  are 
two  figures  which  cannot  be  mistaken.  The  foremost,  a 
plumed  and  cinctured  warrior,  depicted  as  addressing  the 
Onondaga  chief,  holds  in  his  right  hand,  as  a  staff,  his  flint- 
headed  spear,  the  ensign,  it  may  be  supposed,  which  marks 
him  as  the  representative  of  the  Caniengas,  or  "People  of  the 
Flint."     Behind   him  another  plumed  figure   bears   in   his 


hi 


THE   LEAGUE    AND    ITS    FOUNDERS. 


27 


hand  a  bow  with  arrows,  and  at  his  shoulder  a  quiver. 
Divested  of  its  mythological  embellishments,  the  picture 
rudely  represents  the  interview  which  actually  took  place. 
The  immediate  result  was  unpromising.  The  Onondaga  chief 
coldly  refused  to  entertain  the  project,  which  he  had  already 
rejected  when  proposed  by  Hiawatha.  The  ambassadors  were 
not  discouraged.  Beyond  the  Onondagas  were  scattered  the 
villages  of  the  Cayugas,  a  people  described  by  the  Jesuit 
missionaries,  at  a  later  day,  as  the  most  mild  and  tractable  of 
the  Iroquois.  They  were  considered  an  offshoot  of  the 
Oncndagas,  to  whom  they  bore  the  same  filial  relation  which 
the  Oneidas  bore  to  the  Caniengas.  The  journey  of  the 
advocates  of  peace  through  the  forest  to  the  Cayuga  capital, 
and  their  reception,  are  minutely  detailed  in  the  traditionary 
narrative.  The  Cayugas,  who  had  suffered  from  the  prowess 
and  cruelty  of  the  Onondaga  chief,  needed  little  persuasion. 
They  readily  consented  to  come  into  the  league,  and  their 
chief,  Akahenyonk  ("  The  Wary  Spy  "),  joined  the  Canienga 
and  Oneida  representatives  in  a  new  embassy  to  the  Onon- 
dagas. Acting  probably  upon  the  advice  of  Hiawatha,  who 
knew  better  than  any  other  the  character  of  the  community 
and  the  chief  with  whom  they  had  to  deal,  they  made  pro- 
posals highly  flattering  to  the  self-esteem  which  was  the  most 
notable  trait  of  both  ruler  and  people.  The  Onondagas 
should  be  the  leading  nation  of  the  confederacy.  Their  chief 
town  should  be  the  federal  capital,  where  the  great  councils 
of  the  league  should  be  held,  and  where  its  records  should  be 
preserved.  The  nation  should  be  represented  in  the  council 
by  fourteen  senators,  while  no  other  nation  should  have  more 
than  ten.  And  as  the  Onondagas  should  be  the  leading 
tribe,  so  Atotarho  should  be  the  leading  chief.  He  alone 
should  have  the  right  of  summoning  the  federal  council,  and 
no  act  of  the  council  to  which  he  objected  should  be  valid. 
In  other  words,  an  absolute  veto  was  given  to  him.  To 
enhance  his  personal  dignity,  two  high  chiefs  were  appointed 


; 


"^r 


28 


INTRODUCTION. 


I* 


as  his  special  aids  and  counsellors,  his  "Secretaries  of  State," 
so  to  speak.  Other  insignia  of  preeminence  were  to  be  pos- 
sessed by  him  ;  and,  in  view  of  all  these  distinctions,  it  is 
not  surprising  that  his  successor,  who  two  centuries  later 
retained  the  same  prerogatives,  should  have  been  occasionally 
styled  by  the  English  colonists  "  the  Emperor  of  the  Five 
Nations."  It  might  seem,  indeed,  at  first  thought,  that  the 
founders  of  the  confederacy  had  voluntarily  placed  them- 
selves and  their  tribes  in  a  position  of  almost  abject  sub- 
serviency to  Atotarho  and  his  followers.  But  they  knew  too 
well  the  qualities  of  their  people  to  fear  for  them  any  political 
subjection.  It  was  certain  that  when  once  the  league  was  estab- 
lished, and  its  representatives  had  met  in  council,  character 
and  intelligence  would  assume  their  natural  sway,  and  mere 
artificial  rank  and  dignity  would  be  little  regarded.  Atotarho 
and  his  people,  however,  yielded  either  to  these  specious 
offers,  or  to  the  pressure  which  the  combined  urgency  of  the 
three  allied  nations  now  brought  to  bear  upon  them.  They 
finally  accepted  the  league  ;  and  the  great  chief,  who  had 
originally  opposed  it,  now  naturally  became  eager  to  see  it  as 
widely  extended  as  possible.  He  advised  its  representatives 
to  go  on  at  once  to  the  westward,  and  enlist  the  populous 
Seneca  towns,  pointing  out  how  this  might  best  be  done. 
This  advice  was  followed,  and  the  adhesion  of  the  Senecas 
was  secured  by  giving  to  their  two  leading  chiefs,  Kanya- 
dariyo  ("  Beautiful  Lake")  and  Shadekaronyes  ("  The  Equal 
Skies"),  the  offices  of  military  commanders  of  the  confederacy, 
with  the  title  of  doorkeepers  of  the  "  Long-house,"  that 
being  the  figure  by  which  the  league  was  known. 

The  six  national  leaders  who  have  been  mentioned — De- 
kanawidah  for  the  Caniengas,  Odatsehte  for  the  Oneidas, 
Atotarho  for  the  Onondagas,  Akahenyonk  for  the  Cayugas, 
Kanyadariyo  and  Shadekaronyes  for  the  two  great  divisions 
of  the  Senecas — met  in  convention  near  the  Onondaga  Lake, 
with  Hiawatha  for  their  adviser,  and  a  vast  concourse  of  their 


x 


»iJ^.    J"    "TWSVWBW^^pr- 


TTWI-TSW^HPi 


THE    LEAGUE   AND    ITS    FOUNDERS. 


29 


t 

I 


followers,  to  settle  the  terms  and  rules  of  their  confederacy, 
and  to  nominate  its  first  council.  Of  this  council,  nine 
members  (or  ten,  if  Dekanawidah  be  included)  were  assigned 
to  the  Caniengas,  a  like  number  to  the  Oneidas,  fourteen  to 
the  lordly  Onondagas,  ten  to  the  Cayugas,  and  eight  to  the 
Senecas.  Except  in  the  way  of  compliment,  the  number 
assigned  to  each  nation  was  really  of  little  consequence,  inas- 
much as,  by  the  rule  of  the  league,  unanimity  was  exacted  in 
all  their  decisions.  This  unanimity,  however,  did  not  require 
the  suffrage  of  every  member  of  the  council.  The  represent- 
atives of  each  nation  first  deliberated  apart  upon  the  ques- 
tion proposed.  In  this  separate  council  the  majority  decided  ; 
and  the  leading  chief  then  expressed  in  the  great  council  the 
voice  of  his  nation.  Thus  the  veto  of  Atotarho  ceased  at 
once  to  be  peculiar  to  him,  and  became  a  right  exercised  by 
each  of  the  allied  nations.  This  requirement  of  unanimity, 
embarrassing  as  it  might  seem,  did  not  prove  to  be  so  in 
practice.  Whenever  a  question  arose  on  which  opinions 
were  divided,  its  decision  was  either  postponed,  or  some 
compromise  was  reached  which  left  all  parties  contented. 

The  first  members  of  the  council  were  appointed  by  the 
convention — under  what  precise  rule  is  unknown  ;  but  their 
successors  came  in  by  a  method  in  which  the  hereditary  and 
the  elective  systems  were  singularly  combined,  and  in  which 
female  suffrage  had  an  important  place.  When  a  chief  died 
or  (as  sometimes  happened)  was  deposed  for  incapacity  or 
misconduct,  some  member  of  the  same  family  succeeded  him. 
Rank  followed  the  female  line  ;  and  this  successor  might  be 
any  descendant  of  the  late  chief's  mother  or  grandmother — 
his  brother,  his  cousin  or  his  nephew — but  never  his  son. 
Among  many  persons  who  might  thus  be  eligible,  the  selec- 
tion was  made  in  the  first  instance  by  a  family  council.  In 
this  council  the  "chief  matron  "  of  the  family,  a  noble  dame 
whose  position  and  right  were  well  defined,  had  the  deciding 
voice.     This  remarkable  fact  is  affirmed  by  the  Jesuit  mission- 


Y 


80 


INTRODUCTION. 


H 
i 


^ 


ary  Lafitau,  and  the  usage  remains  in  full  vigor  among  the 
Canadian  Iroquois  to  this  day.»  If  there  are  two  or  more 
members  of  the  family  who  seem  to  have  equal  claims,  th** 
1  nominating  matron  sometimes  declines  to  decide  between 
'  them,  and  names  them  both  or  all,  leaving  the  ultimate  choice 
to  the  nation  or  the  federal  council.  The  council  of  the 
nation  next  considers  the  nomination,  and,  if  dissatisfied, 
refers  it  back  to  the  family  for  a  new  designation.  If  con- 
lent,  the  national  council  reports  the  name  of  the  candidate 
to  the  federal  senate,  in  which  resides  the  power  of  ratifying 
or  rejecting  the  choice  of  the  nation  ;  but  the  power  of  rejec- 
tion is  rarely  exercised,  though  that  of  expulsion  for  good 
cause  is  not  unfrequently  exerted.  The  new  chief  inherits 
the  name  of  his  predecessor.  In  this  respect,  as  in  some 
others,  the  resemblance  of  the  Great  Council  to  the  English 
House  of  Peers  is  striking.  As  Norfolk  succeeds  to  Norfolk, 
so  Tekarihoken  succeeds  Tekarihoken.  The  great  names  of 
Hiawatha  and  Atotarho  are  still  borne  by  plain  farmer- 
councillors  on  the  Canadian  Reservation. 

When  the  League  was  established,  Hiawatha  had  been 
adopted  by  the  Canienga  nation  as  one  of  their  chiefs.  The 
honor  in  which  he  was  held  by  them  is  shown  by  his  position 
on  the  roll  of  councillors,  as  it  has  been  handed  down  from 
the  earliest  times.  As  the  Canienga  nation  is  the  "elder 
brother,"  the  names  of  its  chiefs  are  first  recited.  At  the 
head  of  the  list  is  the  leading  Canienga  chief,  Tekarihoken, 
who  represents  the  noblest  lineage  of  the   Iroquois  stock. 

1  "  La  dii^nitS  de  chef  est  perpetuelle  et  h6r6ditaire  dans  sa  Cabana, 
passant  toujours  aux  enfans  de  ses  tantes,  de  ses  sceurs,  ou  de  ses  nieces  du 
c6t6  maternel.  D6s  que  I'arbre  est  tombe,  il  fault,  disent  ils,  le  relever. 
La  matrone,  qui  a  la  principale  autoiit6,  aprSs  en  avoir  confer^  avec  ceux 
de  sa  Cabane,  en  conf^re  de  nouveau  avec  ceux  de  sa  Tribu  [clan],  5  qui 
elle  fait  agr6er  celui  qu'elle  a  choisi  pour  succ6der,  ce  qui  lui  est  assez 
libre.  Elle  n'a  pas  toujours  6gard  au  droit  d'ainesse,  et  d'ordinaire,  elle 
prend  celui  qui  paroit  le  plus  propre  h  soQtenir  ce  rang  par  ses  bonnes 
qualit6s." — Lafitau:  Mceurs  des  Sanvages  Ameriquains,  p.  471. 


THE    LEAGUE   AND    ITS    FOUNDERS. 


ol 


Next  to  him,  and  second  on  the  roll,  is  the  name  of  Hiawatha. 
That  of  his  great  colleague,  Dekanawidah,  nowhere  appears. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  first  council ;  but  he  forbade  his 
people  to  appoint  a  successor  to  him.  "  Let  the  others  have 
successors,"  he  said  proudly,  "for  others  can  advise  you  like 
them.  But  I  am  the  founder  of  your  league,  and  no  one  else 
can  do  what  I  have  done.'" 

The  boast  was  not  unwarranted.  Though  planned  by 
another,  the  structure  had  been  reared  mainly  by  his  labors. 
But  the  Five  Nations,  while  yielding  abundant  honor  to  the 
memory  of  Dekanawidah,  have  never  regarded  him  with  the 
same  affectionate  reverence  which  has  always  clung  to  the 
name  of  Hiawatha.  His  tender  and  lofty  wii^dom,  his  wide- 
reaching  benevolence,  and  his  fervent  appeals  to  their  better 
sentiments,  enforced  by  the  eloquence  of  which  he  was  master, 
touched  chords  in  the  popular  heart  which  have  continued  to 
respond  until  this  day.     Fragments  of  the  speeches  in  which 

1  In  Mr.  Morgan's  admirable  work,  "The  League  of  the  Iroquois"  the 
list  of  Councillors  (whom  he  styles  sachems),  comprises  the  name  of 
Dekanawidah — in  his  orthography,  Dagjlnoweda.  During  my  last  visit 
to  my  lamented  friend  (in  September,  1880),  when  we  examined  together 
my  copy  of  the  then  newly  discovered  Book  of  Rites,  in  which  he  was 
greatly  interested,  this  point  was  considered.  The  original  notes  whicli 
he  made  for  his  work  were  examined.  It  appeared  that  in  the  list  as  it 
was  first  written  by  him,  from  the  dictation  of  a  well-informed  Seneca 
chief,  the  name  of  Dekanawidah  was  not  comprised.  A  later,  hut  erro- 
neous suggestion,  from  another  source,  led  him  to  believe  that  his  first 
informant  was  mistaken,  or  that  he  had  misunderstood  him,  and  to  substi- 
tute the  name  of  Dekanawidah  for  the  somewhat  similar  name  of  Shate- 
kariwate  (in  Seneca  Satlekeiwadeh),  which  stands  third  on  the  roll,  imme- 
diately following  thjit  of  Hiawatha.  The  term  sachem,  it  may  be  addetl, 
is  an  Algonkin  word,  and  one  which  Iro(iuois  speakers  have  a  difficulty 
in  pronouncing.  Their  own  name  for  a  member  of  their  Senate  is 
Koyaner,  derived  from  the  xooi  yaner,  noble,  and  precisely  ei|uivalent  in 
meaning  to  the  English  "  nobleman  "  or  "  lord,"  as  apjilied  to  a  member 
of  the  House  of  Peers.  It  is  the  word  by  which  the  missionaries  have 
rendered  the  title  "  Lord  "  in  the  New  Testament. 


32 


INTRODUCTION. 


1 


he  addressed  the  council  and  the  people  of  the  league  are  still 
remembered  and  repeated.  The  fact  that  the  league  only 
carried  out  a  part  of  the  grand  design  which  he  had  in  view  is 
constantly  affirmed.  Yet  the  failure  was  not  due  to  lack  of 
effort.  In  pursuance  of  his  original  purpose,  when  the  league 
was  firmly  established,  envoys  were  sent  to  other  tribes  to 
urge  them  to  join  it,  or  at  least  to  become  allies.  One  of 
these  embassies  penetrated  to  the  distant  Cherokees,  the 
hereditary  enemies  of  the  Iroquois  nations.  For  some  reason 
with  which  we  are  not  acquainted,  perhaps  the  natural  sus- 
picion or  vindictive  pride  of  that  powerful  community,  this 
mission  was  a  failure.  Another,  despatched  to  the  western 
Algonkins,  had  better  success.  A  strict  alliance  was  formed 
with  the  far-spread  Ojibway  tribes,  and  was  maintained  invio- 
late for  at  least  two  hundred  years,  until  at  length  the  influ- 
ence of  the  French,  with  the  sympathy  of  the  Ojibways  for  the 
conquered  Hurons,  undid  to  some  extent,  though  not  entirely, 
this  portion  of  Hiawatha's  work. 

His  conceptions  were  beyond  his  time,  and  beyond  ours ; 
but  their  effect,  within  a  limited  sphere,  was  very  great.  For 
more  than  three  centuries  the  bond  which  he  devised  held 
together  the  Iroquois  nations  in  perfect  amity.  It  proved, 
moreover,  as  he  intended,  elastic.  The  territory  of  the  Iro- 
quois, constantly  extending  as  their  united  strength  made 
itself  felt,  became  the  "  Great  Asylum"  of  the  Indian  tribes. 
Of  the  conquered  Eries  and  Hurons,  many  hundreds  were 
,  received  and  adopted  among  their  conquerors.  The  Tusca- 
/  roras,  expelled  by  the  English  from  North  Carolina,  took 
refuge  with  the  Iroquois,  and  became  the  sixth  nation 
/  of  the  League.  From  still  further  south,  the  Tuteloes 
and  Saponies,  of  Dakota  stock,  after  many  wars  with  the 
Iroquois,  fled  to  them  from  their  other  enemies,  and  found 
a  cordial  welcome.  A  chief  still  sits  in  the  council  as  a  rep- 
resentative of  the  Tuteloes,  though  the  tribe  itself  has  been 
swept  away  by  disease,  or  absorbed   in  the  larger  nations. 


i 


It 

(I 


THE    LEAGUE   AND    ITS    FOUNDERS. 


33 


Many  fragments  of  tribes  of  Algonkin  lineage — Delawares, 
Nanticokes,  Mohegans,  Mississagas — sought  the  same  hos- 
pitable protection,  which  never  failed  them.  Their  descend- 
ants still  reside  on  the  Canadian  Reservation,  which  may  well 
be  styled  an  aboriginal  "  refuge  of  nations,"  affording  a  strik- 
ing evidence  in  our  own  day  of  the  persistent  force  of  a  great 
idea,  when  embodied  in  practical  shape  by  the  energy  of  a 
master  mind. 

The  name  by  which  their  constitution  or  organic  law  is 
known  among  them  is  kayanerenh,  to  which  the  epitaph  kowa, 
"great,"  is  frequently  added.  This  word,  kayanerenh,  is 
sometimes  rendered  "law,"  or  "league,"  but  its  proper 
meaning  seems  to  be  "  peace."  It  is  used  in  this  sense  by 
the  missionaries,  in  their  translations  of  the  scriptures  and 
the  prayer-book.  In  such  expressions  as  the  "  Prince  of 
Peace,"  "  the  author  of  peace,"  "give  peace  in  our  time," 
we  find  kayanerenh  employed  with  this  meaning.  Its  root  is 
yaner,  signifying  "noble,"  or  "excellent,"  which  yields, 
among  many  derivatives,  kaydnere,  "goodness,"  and  ka- 
yanerenh, "peace,"  or  "  peacefulness."  The  national  hymn 
of  the  confederacy,  sung  whenever  their  "Condoling  Coun- 
cil "  meets,  commences  with  a  verse  referring  to  their  league, 
which  is  literally  rendered,  "  We  come  to  greet  and  thank 
the  Peace  "  {kayanerenh).  When  the  list  of  their  ancient 
chiefs,  the  fifty  original  councillors,  is  chanted  in  the  closing 
litany  of  the  meeting,  there  is  heard  from  time  to  time,  as  the 
leaders  of  each  clan  are  named,  an  outburst  of  praise,  in  the 
words — 

"  This  was  the  roll  of  you — 
You  that  combined  in  the  work, 
You  that  completed  the  work, 

The  Great  Peace."     {Kayanercnh-ko7va.) 

The  regard  of  Englishmen  for  their  Magna  Ciiarta  and  Bill 
of  Rights,  and  that  of  Americans  for  their  national  Constitu- 
tion, seem  weak  in  comparison  with  the  intense  gratitude  and 


I 


34 


INTRODUCTION. 


[■ 


V 


reverence  of  the  Five  Nations  for  the  "  Great  Peace,"  which 
Hiawatha  and  his  colleagues  established  for  them. 

Of  the  subsequent  life  of  Hiawatha,  and  of  his  death,  we 
have  no  sure  information.  The  records  of  the  Iroquois  are 
historical,  and  not  biographical.  As  Hiawatha  had  been 
made  a  chief  among  the  Caniengas,  he  doubtless  continued  to 
reside  with  that  nation.  A  tradition,  which  is  in  itself  highly 
probable,  represents  him  as  devoting  himself  to  the  congenial 
work  of  clearing  away  the  obstructions  in  the  streams  which 
intersect  the  country  then  inhabited  by  the  confederated 
nations,  and  which  formed  the  chief  means  of  communication 
between  them.  That  he  thus,  in  some  measure,  anticipated 
the  plans  of  De  Witt  Clinton  and  his  associates,  on  a  smaller 
scale,  but  perhaps  with  a  larger  statesmanship,  we  may  be 
willing  enough  to  believe.  A  wild  legend  recorded  by  some 
writers,  but  not  told  of  him  by  the  Canadian  Iroquois,  and 
apparently  belonging  to  their  ancient  mythology,  gives  him 
[an  apotheosis,  and  makes  him  ascend  to  heaven  in  a  white 
canoe.  It  may  be  proper  to  dwell  for  a  moment  on  the 
singular  complication  of  mistakes  which  has  converted  this 
Indian  reformer  and  statesman  into  a  mythological  personage. 

When  by  the  events  of  the  Revolutionary  war  the  original 
confederacy  was  broken  up,  the  larger  portion  of  the  people 
followed  Brant  to  Canada.  The  refugees  comprised  nearly 
the  whole  of  the  Caniengas,  and  the  greater  part  of  the 
Onondagas  and  Cayugas,  with  many  members  of  the  other 
nations.  In  Canada  their  first  proceeding  was  to  reestablish, 
as  far  as  possible,  their  ancient  league,  with  all  its  laws  and 
ceremonies.  The  Onondagas  had  brought  with  them  most  of 
their  wampum  records,  and  the  Caniengas  jealously  preserved 
the  memories  of  the  federation,  in  whose  formation  they  had 
borne  a  leading  part.  The  history  of  the  league  continued  to 
be  the  topic  of  their  orators  whenever  a  new  chief  was  in- 
stalled into  office.  Thus  the  remembrance  of  the  facts  has 
been  preserved  among  them  with  much  clearness  and   preci- 


THE    LEAGUE   AND    ITS   FOUNDERS. 


35 


sion,  and  with  little  admixture  of  mythological  elements. 
With  the  fragments  of  the  tribes  which  remained  on  the 
southern  side  of  the  Great  Lakes  the  case  was  very  different. 
A  feeble  pretence  was  made,  for  a  time,  of  keeping  up  the 
semblance  of  the  old  confederacy;  but  except  among  the 
Senecas,  who,  of  all  the  Five  Nations,  had  had  least  to  do 
with  the  formation  of  the  league,  the  ancient  families  which 
had  furnished  the  members  of  their  senate,  and  were  the  con- 
servators of  their  history,  had  mostly  fled  to  Canada  or  the 
West.  The  result  was  that  among  the  interminable  stories 
with  which  the  common  people  beguile  their  winter  nights, 
the  traditions  of  A.totarho  and  Hiawatha  became  intermingled 
with  the  legendsof  their  mythology.  An  accidental  similarity, 
in  the  Onondaga  dialect,  between  the  name  of  Hiawatha  and 
that  of  one  of  their  ancient  divinities,  led  to  a  confusion 
between  the  two,  which  has  misled  some  investigators.  Tliis 
deity  bears,  in  the  sonorous  Canienga  tongue,  the  name  of 
Taronhiawagon,  meaning  "  the  Holder  of  the  Heavens."  The 
Jesuit  missionaries  style  him  "  the  great  god  of  the  Iroquois." 
Among  the  Onondagas  of  the  present  day,  the  name  is 
abridged  to  Taonhiawagi,  or  Tahiawagi.  The  confusion 
between  this  name  and  that  of  Hiawatha  (which,  in  another 
form,  is  pronounced  Tahionwatha)  seems  to  have  begun  more 
than  a  century  ago ;  for  Pyrlaeus,  the  Moravian  missionary, 
heard  among  the  Iroquois  (according  to  Heckewelder)  that 
the  person  who  first  proposed  the  league  was  an  ancient 
Mohawk,  named  Thannawege.  Mr.  J.  V.  H.  Clarke,  in  his 
interesting  History  of  Onondaga,  makes  the  name  to  have 
been  originally  Ta-oun-ya-wat-ha,  and  describes  the  bearer  as 
"the  deity  who  presides  over  fisheries  and  hunting-grounds." 
He  came  down  from  heaven  in  a  white  canoe,  and  after  sundry 
adventures,  which  remind  one  of  the  labors  of  Hercules, 
assumed  the  name  of  Hiawatha  (signifying,  we  are  told,  "  a 
very  wise  man  "),  and  dwelt  for  a  time  as  an  ordinary  mortal 
among  men,    occupied   in  works  of  benevolence.     Finally, 


\ 


36 


INTRODUCTION. 


IN 


f  1 


after  founding  the  confederacy  and  bestowing  many  prudent 
counsels  upon  tlie  people,  he  returned  to  the  skies  by  the 
same  conveyance  in  which  he  had  descended.  This  legend, 
or,  rather,  congeries  of  intermingled  legends,  was  communi- 
cated by  Clark  to  Schoolcraft,  when  the  latter  was  compiling 
his  "  Notes  on  the  Iroquois."  Mr.  Schoolcraft,  pleased  with 
the  poetical  cast  of  the  story,  and  the  euphonious  name,  made 
confusion  worse  confounded  by  transferring  the  hero  to  a 
distant  region  and  identifying  him  with  Manabozho,  a  fan- 
tastic divinity  of  the  Ojibvvays.  Schoolcraft's  volume,  which 
he  chose  to  entitle  "  The  Hiawatha  Legends,"  has  not  in  it  a 
single  fact  or  fiction  relating  either  to  Hiawatha  himself  or  to 
the  Iroquois  deity  Taronhiawagon.  Wild  Ojibway  stories 
concerning  Manabozho  and  his  comrades  form  the  staple  of 
its  contents.  But  it  is  to  this  collection  that  we  owe  the 
charming  poem  of  Longfellow;  and  thus,  by  an  extraordinary 
fortune,  a  grave  Iroquois  lawgiver  of  the  fifteenth  century  has 
become,  in  modern  literature,  an  Ojibway  demigod,  son  of 
the  West  Wind,  and  companion  of  the  tricksy  Paupukkeewis, 
the  boastful  lagoo,  and  the  strong  Kwasind,  If  a  Chinese 
traveler,  during  the  middle  ages,  inquiring  into  the  history 
and  religion  of  the  western  nations,  had  confounded  King 
Alfred  with  King  Arthur,  and  both  with  Odin,  he  would  not 
have  made  a  more  preposterous  confusion  of  names  and 
characters  than  that  which  has  hitherto  disguised  the  genuine 
personality  of  the  great  Onondaga  reformer.  ^ 

About  the  main  events  of  his  history,  and  about  his  char- 
acter and  purposes,  there  can  be  no  reasonable  doubt.  We 
have  the  wampum  belts  which  he  handled,  and  whose  simple 
hieroglyphics  preserve  the  memory  of  the  public  acts  in  which 
he  took  part.  We  have,  also,  in  the  '>cquois  "  Book  of 
Rites,"  which  in  the  present  volume  "/^  j^iven  in  its  original 
form,  a  still  more  clear  and  convincing  testimony  to  the 
character  both  of  the  legislator  and  of  the  people  for  whom 
'  This  subject  is  further  discussed  in  the  Appendix,  Note  D. 


■T 


THE    LEAGUE    AND    ITS   FOUNDERS. 


37 


his  institutions  were  designed.  This  book,  sometimes  called 
the  "Book  of  the  Condoling  Council,"  might  properly- 
enough  be  styled  an  Iroquois  Veda.  It  comprises  the  speeches, 
songs,  and  other  ceremonies,  which,  from  the  earliest  period 
of  the  confederacy,  have  composed  the  proceedings  of  their 
council  when  a  deceased  chief  is  lamented  and  his  successor 
is  installed  in  office.  The  fundamental  laws  of  the  league,  a 
list  of  their  ancient  towns,  and  the  names  of  the  chiefs  who 
constituted  their  first  council,  chanted  in  a  kind  of  litany, 
are  also  comprised  in  the  collection.  The  contents,  after 
being  preserved  in  memory,  like  the  Vedas,  for  many  genera- 
tions, were  written  down  by  desire  of  the  chiefs,  when  their 
language  was  first  reduced  to  writing ;  and  the  book  is  there- 
fore more  than  a  century  old.  Its  language,  archaic  when 
written,  is  now  partly  obsolete,  and  is  fully  understood  by 
only  a  few  of  the  oldest  chiefs.  It  is  a  genuine  Indian  com- 
position, and  must  be  accepted  as  disclosing  the  true  char- 
acter of  its  authors.  The  result  is  remarkable  enough.  In- 
stead of  a  race  of  rude  and  ferocious  warriors,  we  find  in  this 
book  a  kindly  and  affectionate  people,  full  of  sympathy  for 
tlieir  t'riends  in  distress,  considerate  to  their  women,  tender 
to  their  children,  anxious  for  peace,  and  imbued  with  a  pro- 
found reverence  for  their  constitution  and  its  authors.  We 
become  conscious  of  the  fact  that  the  aspect  in  which  these 
Indians  have  presented  themselves  to  the  outside  world  has 
been  in  a  large  measure  deceptive  and  factitious.  The  fero- 
city, craft  and  cruelty,  which  have  been  deemed  their  leading 
traitSj  have  been  merely  the  natural  accompaniments  of  wars 
of  self-preservation,  and  no  more  indicated  their  genuine 
character  than  the  war-paint,  plume  and  tomahawk  of  the 
warrior  displayed  the  customary  guise  in  which  he  appeared 
among  his  own  people.  The  cruelties  of  war,  when  war  is  a 
struggle  for  national  existence,  are  common  to  all  races.  The 
persistent  desire  for  peace,  pursued  for  centuries  in  federal 
unions,  and  in  alliances  and  treaties  with  other  nations,  has 


r « 


38 


INTRODUCTION. 


been  manifested  by  few  as  steadily  as  by  the  countrymen  of 
Hiawatha.  The  sentiment  of  universal  brotherhood  which 
directed  their  polity  has  never  been  so  fully  developed  in 
any  4>ranch  of  the  Aryan  race,  unless  it  may  be  found 
incorporated  in  the  religious  quietism  of  Buddha  and  his 
followers. 


11 


h 


'Vt* 


CHAPTER  III. 

The  Book  of  Rites. 

For  a  proper  appreciation  of  this  peculiar  composition, 
some  further  particulars  respecting  its  origin  and  character  will 
be  needed.  During  my  earlier  visits  to  the  Reserve  of  the 
Six  Nations,  near  Brantford,  I  had  heard  of  an  Indian  book 
which  was  used  at  their  "  Condoling  Councils,"  the  most 
important  of  their  many  public  gatherings.  But  it  was  not 
until  the  month  of  September,  1879,  ^^^^^  ^  had  an  oppor- 
tunity of  seeing  the  work.  At  that  time  two  copies  of  the 
book  were  brought  to  me  by  the  official  holders,  two  of  the 
principal  chiefs  of  the  confederacy.  One  of  these  was  Chief 
John  "  Smoke"  Johnson,  who  for  many  years  had  held  the 
high  office  of  Speaker  of  the  Great  Council,  though,  of  late, 
yielding  to  age  and  infirmity,  he  has  withdrawn  from  the 
public  performance  of  its  duties.  His  second  name  is  a  rude 
rendering  of  his  truly  poetical  Indian  appellation,  Sakayen- 
gwaraton,  or  "  Disappearing  Mist. ' '  It  signifies  properly,  I  was 
told,  the  haze  which  rises  from  the  ground  in  an  autumn  morn- 
ing and  vanishes  as  the  day  advances.  His  English  name,  and, 
in  part,  his  blood,  Chief  Johnson  derives  from  no  less  distin- 
guislied  an  ancestor  than  Sir  William  Johnson,  who  played  so 
notable  a  part  in  colonial  history  during  the  last  century,  and 
who  exercised,  perhaps,  a  greater  influence  on  the  destiny  of 
the  Iroquois  than  any  other  individual  since  the  formation  of 
their  confederacy.  To  him,  indeed,  may  be  ascribed  the 
distinction,  such  as  it  is,  of  destroying  the  work  which  Hia- 
watha and  Dekanawidah  had  founded.  But  for  the  influence 
over  the  Indians  which  he  had  aciiuired,  and  was  able  to 
beijueath  to  others,  it  is  probable  that  the  Six  Nations  would 
have  remained  neutral  during  the  Revolutionary  War,  and 

39 


40 


INTRODUCTION. 


! 


M 


ti 


1  r 


1. 1 


the  disruption  of  their  League  would  not  have  taken  place. 
Yet  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  he  was  sincerely  attached  to 
them,  and  desired  their  good.  Unfortunately  for  them,  they 
held,  as  was  natural,  only  the  second  place  in  his  affections. 
He  was,  by  adoption,  an  Iroquois  chief,  but  his  first  allegiance 
was  due  to  his  native  country,  to  whose  interests,  both  in  the 
war  with  France  and  in  the  separation  which  he  foresaw 
between  England  and  her  colonies,  he  did  not  hesitate  to 
sacrifice  the  Avelfare  of  his  red  brethren.  Against  his  subtle 
arts  and  overmastering  energy  the  wisest  of  their  statesmen, 
worthy  successors  of  the  great  founders  of  their  constitution, 
strove  in  vain,  on  each  occasion,  to  maintain  that  neutrality 
which  was  evidently  the  true  policy  of  their  people.* 

Sakayengwaraton  is  not  an  elected  chief,  nor  does  he  bear 
one  of  the  hereditary  titles  of  the  Great  Council,  in  which  he 
holds  so  distinguished  a  station.  Indeed,  his  office  is  one 
unknown  to  the  ancient  constitution  of  the  Kanonsionni.  It 
is  the  creation  of  the  British  Government,  to  which  he  owes, 
with  the  willing  consent  of  his  own  people,  his  rank  and 
position  in  the  Council.  The  Provincial  administrators  saw 
the  need  of  a  native  official  who  should  be,  like  the  Speaker 
of  the  F^nglish  House  of  Commons,  the  mouthpiece  of  the 
Council,  and  the  intermediary  between  it  and  the  representa- 
tive of  the  Crown.  The  grandson  of  Sir  William  Johnson 
was  known  as  a  brave  warrior,  a  capable  leader,  and  an 
eloquent  speaker.  In  the  war  of  i8i 2,  at  the  early  age  of 
twenty,  he  had  succeeded  an  elder  brother  in  the  command 
of  the  Indian  contingent,  and  had  led  his  dusky  followers  with 
so  much  skill  and  intrepidity  as  to  elicit  high  praise  from  the 
English  commander.  His  eloquence  was  noted,  even  among 
a  race  of  orators.  I  can  well  believe  what  I  have  heard  of  its 
effects,  as  even  in  his  old  age,  when  an  occasion  has  for  a 
moment  aroused  his  spirit,  I  have  not  known  whether  most  to 

1  For  the  confirmation  of  these  statements  see  the  excellent  biographies 
of  Sir  William  Johnson  and  Joseph  Brant,  by  Wm.  L.  Stone, /(7W»V«. 


L 


THE    BOOK    OF    RITES. 


41 


admire  the  nobleness  and  force  of  his  sentiments  and  reason- 
ing, or  the  grace  and  flowing  ease  with  which  he  delivered 
the  stately  periods  of  his  sonorous  language.  He  has  been  a 
worthy  successor  of  the  distinguished  statesmen,  Garagontieh, 
Garangula,  Decanasora,  Canasatego,  Logan,  and  others,  who 
in  former  years  guided  the  destinies  of  his  people.  He  is 
considered  to  have  a  better  knowledge  of  the  traditions  and 
ancient  usages  of  the  Six  Nations  than  any  other  member  of 
the  tribes,  and  is  the  only  man  now  living  who  can  tell  the 
meaning  of  every  word  of  the  "  Book  of  Rites." 

The  other  chief  to  whom  I  have  referred  is  the  Onondaga 
Councillor  who  is  known  to  the  whites  as  John  Buck,  but 
who  bears  in  council  the  name  of  Skanawati  ("  Beyond  the 
River"),  one  of  the  fifty  titular  names  which  have  descended 
from  the  time  of  Hiawatha.  He  is  the  official  keeper  of  the 
"wampum  records"  of  the  confederacy,  an  important  trust, 
which,  to  his  knowledge,  has  been  in  his  family  for  at  least 
four  generations.  His  rank,  his  character,  and  his  eloquence 
make  him  now,  virtually,  the  Iroquois  premier — an  office  which, 
among  the  Six  Nations,  as  among  the  Athenians  of  old  and 
the  English  of  modern  days,  is  both  unknown  to  the  consti- 
tution and  essential  to  its  working.  His  knowledge  of  the 
legends  and  customs  of  his  people  is  only  inferior  to  that  of 
the  more  aged  Speaker  of  the  Council. 

The  account  which  Chief  J.  S.  Johnson  gave  me  of  the  book 
may  be  briefly  told.  The  English  missionaries  reduced 
the  Canienga  language  to  writing  in  the  early  part  of  the  last 
century.  The  Jesuit  fathers,  indeed,  had  learned  and  written 
the  language — which  they  styled  the  Iroquois — fifty  years 
before  ;  but  it  does  not  appear  that  they  had  instructed  any 
of  the  Indians  in  the  art  of  writing  it,  as  their  successors  in 
the  Eastern  Province  have  since  done.  The  English  mission- 
aries took  pains  to  do  this.  The  liturgy  of  their  church  was 
printed  in  the  Mohawk  tongue,  at  New  York,  as  early  as  the 

D 


42 


INTRODUCTION. 


year  1714.^     By  the  middle  of  the  century  there  were  many 
members  of  the  tribe  who  could  write  in  the  well-devised 
orthograpliy   of    the    missionaries — an    orthograpliy    which 
anticipated    in    most    points    the    well    known    "  Pickering 
alphabet,"  now  generally  employed   in  writing  the  Indian 
languages  of  North  x\merica.     The  chiefs  of  the  Great  Council, 
at  once  conservative  and  quick  to  learn,  saw  the  advantages 
which  would  accrue  from  preserving,  by  this  novel  method, 
the  forms  of  their  most  important  public  duty — that  of  creat- 
ing new  chiefs — and  the  traditions  connected  with  their  own 
body.    They  caused  the  ceremonies,  speeches  and  songs,  which 
together  made  up  the  proceedings  of  the  Council  when  it 
met  for  the  two  purposes,  always  combined,  of  condolence  and 
induction,  to  be  written  down  in  the  words  in  which  they  had 
been  preserved  in  memory  for  many  generations.     A  Canienga 
chief,  named  David,  a  friend  of  Brant,  is  said  to  have  accom- 
plished the  work.     In  Stone's  Life  of  Sir  William  Johnson, 
mention  is  made  of  a  Mohawk  chief,  "David  of  Schoharie," 
who.  in  May,  1 757,  led  a  troop  of  Indians  from  his  town  to  join 
the  forces  under  Sir  William,  in   his  expedition   to  Crown 
Point,  to  repel  the  French  invaders.-     Brant  appears  to  have 
been  in  this  expedition.^     It  is  highly  probable  that  in  Chief 
David    of  Schoharie  we    have    the  compiler,  or  rather  the 
scribe,  of  this  "  Iroquois  Veda." 

The  copy  of  this  book  which  Chief  J.  S.  Johnson  possessed 
was  made  by  himself,  under  the  following  circumstances : 
'During  the  prevalence  of  he  Asiatic  cholera,  in  1S32,  the 
tribes  on  the  Reserve  suff  ed  severely.  Cliief  Johnson,  then 
a  young  man  and  not  yet  a  leader  in  the  Great  Council,  was 
active  in  attending  on  the  sick.     He  was  called  to  visit  an 

1  This  date  is  given  in  the  preface  to  the  Mohawk  Prayer-ltook  of  1787. 
This  first  version  of  the  liturgy  was  printed  under  the  direction  of  the  Rev. 
Wni.  Andrews,  the  missionary  of  the  "  New  England  Society." 

2  Life  of  Sir  William  Johnson,  Vol.  n,  p.  29. 

3  Ibid.,  p.  174. 


^p 


^ 


THE   BOOK   OF    RITES. 


43 


aged  chief,  who  was  not  expected  to  live.  The  old  chief 
informed  him  that  he  had  this  book  in  his  possession,  and 
advised  him,  as  he  was  one  of  the  few  who  could  write  the 
language,  to  make  a  copy  of  it,  lest  by  any  accident  the 
original  should  be  lost.  Johnson  followed  this  advice,  and 
copied  the  book  on  loose  sheets  of  paper,  from  which  he 
afterwards  transcribed  it  into  a  small  unbound  book,  resembling 
a  schoolboy's  copy-book.  He  states  that  the  original  book 
contained,  besides  the  ceremonies  of  the  Condoling  Council, 
an  addition  by  a  later  hand,  comprising  some  account  of  the 
more  recent  history  of  the  Six  Nations,  and  particularly  of 
their  removal  from  New  York  to  Canada.  This  portion  of  it 
he  unfortunately  omitted  to  copy,  and  shortly  afterwards  the 
book  itself  was  destroyed,  when  the  house  of  the  old  chief  was 
accidentally  burned. 

The  other  copy  which  I  transcribed  was  held  by  Chief  John 
Buck,  in  his  official  capacity  of  record-keeper.  It  is  written 
in  a  somewhat  different  orthography.  The  syllables  are  sepa- 
rated, as  in  the  usual  style  of  Indian  hymnbooks,  and  some 
of  the  words,  particularly  the  proper  names,  show  by  their 
forms  that  the  person  who  copied  the  book  was  an  Onon- 
daga. The  copy  was  evidently  not  made  from  that  of  Chief 
Johnson,  as  it  supplies  some  omissions  in  that  copy.  On 
the  other  hand,  it  omits  some  matters,  and,  in  particular, 
nearly  all  the  adjurations  and  descriptive  epithets  which 
form  the  closing  litany  accompanying  the  list  of  hereditary 
councillors.  The  copy  appears,  from  a  memorandum  written  in 
it,  to  have  been  made  by  one  "John  Green,"  who,  it  seems, 
was  formerly  a  pupil  of  the  Mohawk  Institute  at  Brantford. 
It  bears  the  date  of  November,  1874.  I  could  not  learn 
where  he  found  his  original. 

The  translation  has  been  made  from  the  dictation  of  Chief 
J.  S.  Johnson,  who  explained  the  meaning  of  the  archaic 
words  in  the  modern  Canienga  speech.  This  was  interpreted 
in  English  by  his  son.  Chief  George  H.   M.  Johnson,  and 


A 


INTRODUCTION. 


1 


afterwards  more  fully  elucidated  by  my  esteemed  friend,  the 
Rev.  Isaac  Bearfoot,  who  kindly  came  from  his  parish,  at 
Point  Edward  (near  Sarnia),  to  the  Reserve,  to  assist  me  in 
this  work.  Mr.  Bearfoot  is  an  Onondaga  by  birth,  but  a 
Canienga  by  adoption,  and  has  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the 
Canienga  language.  He  prepared  the  revised  edition  of  the 
hymnbook  in  that  language, which  is  now  used  on  the  Reserve. 
He  is  a  good  English  scholar,  and,  having  been  educated  in 
Toronto  for  the  ministry,  has  filled  for  some  years,  with  much 
acceptance,  the  office  of  pastor  to  a  white  congregation  of  the 
Church  of  England.  I  am  greatly  indebted  to  him  for  his 
judicious  assistance,  and,  finally,  for  a  complete  revision  of 
the  entire  version  of  the  Canienga  portion  of  the  book. 

To  my  friend  Chief  George  Johnson  I  am  under  still 
greater  obligations.  Mr.  Johnson,  as  has  been  stated, 
is  the  son  of  Chief  J.  S.  Johnson,  and  is  himself  a  high 
chief  of  the  Canienga  nation.  He  bears  in  the  Great 
Council  the  name  of  Teyouhehkwen  (otherwise  spelt  Deyon- 
heghgonh),  meaning  "Double  Life,"  one  of  the  titular  names 
which  were  borne  by  the  companions  of  Hiawatha  and  Ato- 
tarho  in  the  first  council.  He  succeeded  in  this  title,  according 
to  the  rules  of  the  confederacy,  his  maternal  uncle,  on  the  nomi- 
nation of  his  mother,  as  the  chief  matron  of  the  family.  Mr. 
Johnson  is  an  educated  gentleman.  In  early  life  he  was  a  pupil 
of  the  English  missionaries.  He  now  holds  the  position  of  Gov- 
ernment Interpreter  for  the  Six  Nations,  and  is,  in  fact,  the 
chief  executive  officer  of  the  Canadian  government  on  the 
Reserve.  His  duties  have  several  times  brought  him  into 
collision  with  the  white  ruffians  who  formerly  infested  the 
Reserve,  and  from  whom  he  has  on  two  occasions  suffered 
severe  injuries,  endangering  his  life.  His  courage  and  firm- 
ness, however,  have  been  finally  successful  in  subduing  this 
mischief,  and  the  Reserve  is  now  as  secure  arnd  as  free  from 
disorder  as  any  part  of  Canada.  To  Chief  George  Johnson's 
assistance  and  encouragement  I  owe  most  of  the  information 


^ 


THE    BOOK   OF   RITES. 


45 


contained  in  these  pages,  and  I  am  glad  to  have  an  oppor- 
tunity of  paying  him  this  tribute  of  respect  and  gratitude. 

The  second  or  supplementary  part  of  the  Book,  which  is 
in  the  Onondaga  dialect,  was  found  on  the  small  Reservation 
in  the  State  of  New  York,  near  Syracuse,  where  a  feeble 
remnant  of  the  great  Onondaga  nation  still  cling  to  the  home 
of  their  forefathers.  In  October,  1875,  during  my  first  visit 
to  Onondaga  Castle,  as  this  Reservation  is  called,  I  obtained 
from  the  intelligent  interpreter.  Daniel  La  Fort — a  son  of 
the  distinguished  chief  Abram  La  Fort  (Dehatkatons),  who  is 
commemorated  in  Clark's  "Onondaga" — a  list  of  the  original 
councillors  in  the  Onondaga  dialect,  and  also  a  copy,  in  the 
same  dialect,  of  the  "Condoling  Song,"  which  I  had  heard  ! 
sung  on  the  Canadian  Reserve,  and  which  I  afterwards  found 
in  the  Canienga  Book  of  Rites.  He  read  them  to  me  from  a 
small  manuscript  book,  in  which,  as  I  then  pposed,  he  had 
noted  them  for  his  own  convenience.  When  I  afterwards 
discovered  the  Canien^^^a  book,  it  occurred  to  me  that  I  might 
have  been  mistaken  on  this  point,  and  that  the  manuscript 
from  which  he  read  was  possibly  a  copy  of  the  Book  of  Rites 
in  the  Onondaga  dialect.  To  clear  up  this  point,  I  again 
visited  Onondaga  Castle,  in  September,  1880.  1  then  found, 
to  my  great  gratification,  that  his  book  was  not  a  copy,  but  a 
valuable  addition,  or  rather  an  essential  complement,  to  the 
Canienga  book.  The  last-named  book  comprises  the  speeches 
which  are  addressed  by  the  representatives  of  the  three  elder 
nations  to  the  younger  members  of  the  League,  whenever  a 
chief  who  belonged  to  the  latter  is  lamented.  The  Onon- 
daga book,  on  the  other  hand,  gives  us  the  exhortations 
which  are  addressed  by  the  younger  nations  to  the  elder 
when  a  chief  of  the  latter  is  mourned.  The  circumstance  to 
which  it  owes  its  preservation  on  the  Onondaga  Reserve  is 
easily  explained.  Of  late  years,  since  the  chieftainships  among 
the  New  York  Senecas  and  Tuscaroras  have  been  made  purely 
elective  offices,  the  only  body  of  Indians  in  that  State  among 


I 


1 


( 


i 


46 


INTRODUCTION. 


whom  the  original  system  of  mingled  descent  and  appoint- 
ment has  been  retained  is  the  remnant  of  the  intensely  con- 
servative Onondagas.  Among  these,  in  spite  of  missionary 
efforts  continued  for  two  centuries,  paganism  still  lingers,  and 
chiefs  are  still  "raised  up"  as  nearly  as  possible  after  the 
ancient  fashion.  When  a  chief  dies,  the  members  of  his 
family  or  clan  select  another,  who  is  presented  to  the  national 
council  for  induction.  The  ceremonies  of  condolence,  with 
which  the  proceedings  commence,  are  modeled  after  the 
primitive  form.  As  the  Onondagas  were  one  of  the  elder 
nations,  the  addresses  of  condolence  must  proceed  from  a 
younger  brother.  Fortunately  for  this  purpose,  a  few  Onei- 
das  resid-^:  on  the  Reserve,  among  whom  is  a  single  chief,  by 
name  Abraui  Hill.  To  him  is  committed  the  duty  of  repre- 
senting the  "  younger  brothers"  on  this  occasion,  and  with 
it  the  charge  of  the  wampum  strings,  which  are  produced  occa- 
sionally as  the  ceremony  proceeds,  each  string  representing 
one  section  or  topic  of  the  condoling  address. 

La  Fort  said  that  he  had  copied  his  book  from  a  manuscript 
in  his  father's  handwriting.  This  manuscript,  unfortunately, 
was  lost,  and  he  could  not  say  whether  his  father  had  first 
written  it  down  from  memory,  or  had  merely  transcribed 
it  from  an  earlier  composition.  However  this  may  have  been, 
the  substance  of  the  composition  undoubtedly  dates  from  a 
period  preceding  the  disruption  of  the  confederacy.  The 
language,  indeed,  so  far  as  can  be  judged  from  the  very  irreg- 
ular orthography,  is  modern.  If,  as  there  is  reason  to  sup- 
pose, the  composition  is  ancient,  it  has  evidently  undergone 
a  "  revision"  at  the  hands  of  the  later  copyists.  In  former 
times,  as  we  know  from  the  Jesuit  vocabularies,  the  sound  of 
r  existed  in  the  Onondaga  dialect.  Since  their  day  this  sound 
has  disappeared  from  it  entirely.  In  La  Fort's  manuscript  the 
letter  frequently  occurred,  but  always,  as  his  pronunciation 
showed,  either  as  a  diacritical  sign  following  the  vowel  a,  to 
give  to  that  vowel  the  sound  of  rt  in  "  far,"  or  else  as  repre- 


I 


■TT 


THE    BOOK   OF    RITES. 


47 


I 


senting  itself  this  vowel  sound.  Thus  the  syllable  which  should 
properly  be  written  sa  was  written  by  La  Fort  either  jar  or  sr. 
But,  though  the  language  is  modern,  the  speeches  themselves, 
as  I  am  assured  by  Chief  John  Buck,  are  precisely  those 
which  are  still  in  use  among  his  people  in  Canada,  and 
which  are  believed  to  have  been  preserved  in  memory  from 
the  days  of  their  forefathers.^ 

The  translation  of  La  Fort's  book  was  procured  from  him 
and  another  educated  member  of  his  tribe  ;  but  there  was  not 
time  to  obtain  all  the  elucidations  needed  to  ensure  precise 
verbal  accuracy  throughout. 

1  The  disappearance  of  a  vocal  element  from  a  language  is  a  phenomenon 
with  which  etymologists  are  familiar.  The  loss  of  the  Greek  digamma  is  a 
well-known  instance.  The  harsh  guttural,  resembling  tlie  German  (A, 
which  formerly  existed  in  the  English  language,  has  vanislied  from  it, 
leaving  its  traces  in  the  uncouth  orthography  of  such  words  ■!&  plough,  high, 
though,  and  tlie  like.  Within  the  past  three  centuries  the  sound  of  /  has 
been  lost  from  many  words,  such  as  walk,  talk,  balm  and  calm.  The 
sound  of  ;-  is  disappearing  from  a  large  portion  of  the  language.  In  ordi- 
nary speech,  arm  rhymes  with  calm,  morning  with  /awning,  higher  with 
Sophia.  Modern  French,  as  is  well  known,  has  attained  its  present 
euphony  through  the  disappearance  of  consonantal  elements  from  many 
words  in  which  they  formerly  existed. 


I 


i 


CHAPTER  IV. 

The  Condoling  Council. — Clans  and  Classes. 

The  name  usually  given  to  the  Book  of  Rites,  or  rather 
to  its  contents,  is,  in  the  Canienga  dialect,  O  kayo  n  do  ugh - 
sera  Yondennasc  (or  in  the  French  missionary  ortliography, 
Okaiontonhsera  lontennase),  which  maybe  rendered  "Ancient 
Rites  of  the  Condoling  Council."'  Among  the  many  coun- 
cils, civil  and  religious,  tribal  and  federal,  in  \vhich  the 
public  spirit  and  social  temper  of  the  Iroquois  found  their 
most  congenial  and  most  popular  mode  of  display,  the  Yon- 
idennase,  the  Condoling  (or  Mourning)  Council,  held  the 
highest  rank.  It  was,  in  a  certain  way,  typical  of  the  whole, 
and  comprised  the  elements  of  all  the  other  councils.  In  its 
earlier  form  this  council  was  not  peculiar  to  the  Iroquois. 
We  know,  from  the  Jesuit  reports,  that  it  was  the  custom 
of  the  Hurons  to  hold  a  public  lamentation  for  the  death  of 
a  chief,  and  at  the  same  time  to  appoint  another  who  should 
take  his  place  and  assume  his  name.  But  that  which  among 
the  Hurons  was  merely  a  tribal  custom  became,  in  the  Iro- 
quois form  of  government,  an  important  institution,  essential 
to  the  maintenance  of  their  state.  By  the  ordinances  of  their 
League,  it  was  required  that  the  number  of  their  federal  senate 
should  be  maintained  undiminished.  On  the  death  of  one  of 
its  members,  it  was  the  duty  of  the  nation  to  which  he  belonged 
to  notify  the  other  nations  of  the  event,  and  of  the  time  and 

^  Okaionlcn/tscni  is  a  substantive  derived  from  akaion,  old,  or  ancient. 
The  termination  sera  gives  it  an  abstract  sense.  "The  anti  juities,"  or 
rather  "the  ancientnesses,"  is  the  nearest  literal  rendering  which  our 
language  allows.  lonUnnase  is  a  verbal  form,  derived  from  kitenre  (in 
Bruyas,  f^entenron)  to  pity,  or  sympathize  with.  It  may  be  rendered 
"they  who  symp.athize,"  or  "the  condolers."  Both  words,  however, 
have  acquired  a  special  meaning  in  their  application  to  these  ceremonies. 

48 


,,^^. .  ^f  ■"^Ar-r  •*■*•■•  --• -"J'— >*■- v**«y 


•^ 


THE    CONDOLING   COUNCIL. 


49 


place  at  which  he  would  be  lamented  and  his  successor 
installed.  The  notice  was  given  in  the  usual  manner,  by 
official  messengers,  who  bore  for  credentials  certain  strings  of 
wampum,  appropriate  to  the  occasion.  The  place  of  meeting 
was  commonly  the  chief  town  of  the  nation  which  had  suffered 
the  loss.  In  this  nation  a  family  council,  under  the  presi- 
dency, and  subject,  indeed  (as  has  been  shown),  to  the  control- 
ling decision,  of  the  chief  matron  of  the  deceased  senator's 
kindred — usually  his  mother,  if  she  survived  him — was  in  the 
meantime  convened  to  select  his  successor.  The  selection 
must  be  approved  both  by  his  clan  and  by  his  nation  ;  but  as 
their  sentiments  were  generally  known  beforehand,  this  appro- 
val was  rarely  withheld.  Indeed,  the  mischief  resulting  from 
an  unsuitable  choice  was  always  likely  to  be  slight ;  for  both 
the  national  council  and  the  federal  senate  had  the  right  of 
deposing  any  member  who  was  found  unciualified  for  the 
office. 

At  the  appointed  day  the  chiefs  of  the  other  nations 
approached  theplace  of  meeting.  A  multitude  of  their  people, 
men  and  women,  usually  accompanied  them,  prepared  to  take 
part  both  in  the  exhibitions  of  grief  and  in  the  festivities  which 
always  followed  the  installation  of  the  new  councillor.  The 
approaching  chiefs  halted  when  they  reached  the  border  of  the 
"opening,"  or  cleared  space  surrounding  the  town.  Here 
took  place  the  "preliminary  ceremony,"  styled  in  the  Book 
of  Ri.cs,  '^  Dcyughnyonhaarakda,"  a  word  which  means 
simply  "at  the  edge  of  the  woods."  At  this  point  a  fire  was 
kindled,  a  pipe  was  lighted  and  passed  around  with  much 
formality,  and  an  address  of  welcome  was  made  by  the  prin- 
cipal chief  of  the  inviting  nation.  The  toi:ics  of  this  address 
comprised  a  singular  mixture  of  congratulation  and  condol- 
ence, and  seem  to  have  been  prescribed  forms,  which  had 
come  down  from  immemorial  antiquity,  as  appropriate  to  the 
occasion. 

The  guests  were  then  formally  conducted — "led  by  the 


It 


I 


\. 


1  .' 


l^j 


w 


50 


INTRODUCTION. 


hand,"  as  the  Book  recites — to  the  Council  House  of  the  town. 
They  seem  anciently  at  least,  to  have  advanced  in  the  order 
of  their  clans,  '''he  towns  belonging  to  the  Wolf  clan  were 
first  enumerated — probably  as  the  chiefs  belonging  to  them  took 
their  places — iheii  the  towns  of  the  Tortoise  clan  (or  double 
clan,  as  it  is  styled),  and  finally  those  of  the  Bear  clan.  In 
all,  twenty-three  towns  are  named.  Five  of  them  are  ex- 
pressly stated  to  hav^'  been  "added  lately."  The  residue 
are  supposed  to  be  the  names  of  the  towns  in  which  the  people 
of  the  Five  Nations  resided  at  the  time  when  the  confederacy 
was  formed,  though  this  point  is  uncertain.  That  few  of 
these  can  now  be  identified,  is  what  would  naturally  be 
expected.  It  is  well  known  that  the  Indians  had  the  custom 
of  removing  their  towns  from  time  to  time,  at  intervals  vary- 
ing from  ten  to  twenty  years,  as  the  fuel  in  their  neighbor- 
hood became  exhausted,  and  as  the  diminished  crops  under 
their  primitive  mode  of  agriculture  showed  the  need  of  fresher 
soil.  Only  those  villages  would  be  permanent  whose  localities 
offered  some  special  advantages,  as  fortresses,  fishing  places, 
or  harbors.  ^ 

This  list  of  towns  has  another  peculiarity  which  arrests  the 
attention.  It  apparently  comprises  all  the  towns  of  the 
League,  but  these  are  divided  among  only  three  clans,  those 
of  the  Wolf,  the  Tortoise  and  the  Bear.  The  other  clans  of  the 
confederacy  are  not  once  named  in  the  book.  Yet  there  are 
indications  which  show  that  when  the  list  of  chiefs  which 
concludes  the  book  was  written,  at  a  date  long  after  this  list 
of  towns  was  first  recited,  other  clans  existed  in  three  of  the 
nations.  This  is  an  important  point,  which  merits  further 
consideration.  Those  who  have  read  the  admirable  account 
of  the  "  League  of  the  Iroijuois,"  by  Morgan,  and  his  philo- 
sophic work  on  "  Ancient  Society,"  are  aware  that  he  has 
brought  out  and  elucidated  with  much  clearness  and  force 
the  nature  and  results  of  the  remarkable  clan  system  which 
'  See  Appendix   note  E. 


THE   CONDOLING   COUNCIL. 


51 


prevails  among  the  North  American  Indians.  It  is  not  uni- 
versal, as  it  does  not  seem  to  be  known  among  the  widely 
scattered  bands  of  the  Crees  and  the  Athapascans,  or  among 
the  Indians  of  Oregon.^  It  was  found,  however,  among  the 
great  majority  of  tribes  in  the  region  north  of  Mexico  and 
east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  was  sufficiently  alike  in  all 
to  indicate  a  common  origin.  Mr.  Morgan  finds  this  origin 
in  a  kinship,  real  or  supposed,  among  the  members  of  each 
clan.  He  considers  the  clan,  or  gens,  and  not  the  single 
family,  to  be  the  natural  unit  of  primitive  society.  It  is,  in 
his  view,  a  stage  through  which  the  human  race  passes  in  its 
progress  from  the  savage  state  to  civilization.  It  is  difficult, 
however,  to  reconcile  this  theory  with  the  fact  that  among  some 
races,  as  for  example,  the  Polynesian  and  Feejeean,  which  are 
in  precisely  the  same  stage  of  social  advancement  as  the  North 
American  Indians,  this  institution  is  unknown  ;  and  even  among 
the  Indians,  as  has  been  said,  it  is  not  everywhere  found. 
There  are  many  indications  which  seem  to  show  that  the 
system  is  merely  an  artificial  arrangement,  instituted  for  social 
convenience.  It  is  natural,  in  the  sense  that  the  desire  for 
association  is  natural  to  man.  The  sentiment  is  one  which 
manifests  itself  alike  in  all  stages  of  society.  The  guilds  of  the 
middle  ages,  the  masonic  and  other  secret  brotherhoods, 
religious  organizations,  trade  unions,  clubs,  and  even  political 
parties,  are  all  manifestations  of  this  associative  instinct.  The 
Indian  clan  was  simply  a  brotherhood,  an  aggregate  of  persons 
united  by  a  common  tie,  sometimes  of  origin,  sometimes 
merely  of  locality.  These  brotherhoods  were  not  permanent, 
but  were  constantly  undergoing  changes,  forming,  dividing, 
coalescing,  vanishing.  The  names  of  many  of  them  show  their 
recent  origin.  The  Chicasas  have  a  "  Spanish  clan." '^  The 
Shawnees  had  a  "  Horse  clan."  "  The  Iroquois,  of  Eastern 
Canada,  made  up  of  fragments  of  all  the  Five  Nations,  had 

1  See  Ancient  Society,  pp.  167,  175,  177. 

«  Ancient  Socie/y,  p.  163.  '  Ibid,  p.  168. 


52 


INTRODUCTION. 


h' 


IF  V 

If 


an  "Onondaga  clan,"  and  an  "Oneida  clan."*  It  is  a 
curious  fact  that,  as  Mr.  Morgan  states,  "  the  Iroquois  claim 
to  have  originated  a  division  of  the  people  into  tribes  [clans 
or  gentes]  as  a  means  of  creating  new  relationships,  to  bind 
the  people  more  firmly  together.  It  is  further  asserted  by 
the"!  that  they  forced  or  introduced  this  social  organization 
among  the  Cherokees,  the  Chippevvays  (Massasaugas)  and 
several  other  Indian  nations,  with  whom,  in  ancient  times, 
they  were  in  constant  intercourse."  "The  fact,"  he  adds, 
"  that  this  division  of  the  people  of  the  same  nation  into  tribes 
does  not  prevail  generally  among  our  Indian  races,  favors  the 
assertions  of  the  Iroquois."  ^  Further  inquiry  and  reflection 
led  this  distinguished  investigator  to  take  a  totally  different 
view,  and  to  go  to  what  may  be  deemed  the  opposite  extreme 
of  regarding  this  clan  system  as  an  essential  stage  in  the 
growth  of  human  society. 

There  can  be  no  question  that  an  idea  of  kinship  pervaded 
the  clan  system,  and  was  its  ruling  element.  It  may,  in  many 
instances,  have  been  purely  imaginary  and,  so  to  speak, 
figurative,  like  the  "brotherhood"  of  our  secret  associations; 
but  it  was  none  the  less  efficacious  and  binding.  As  the 
members  of  a  clan  regarded  themselves  as  brothers  and  sisters, 
marriages  among  them  were  not  allowed.  This  led,  of  course, 
to  constant  intermarriages  between  members  of  the  different 
clans  of  which  a  nation  was  composed,  thus  binding  the 
whole  nation  together.  What  the  founders  of  the  Iroquois 
League  did  was  to  e.xtend  this  system  of  social  alliances 
through  the  entire  confederacy.  The  Wolf  clansman  of  the 
Caniengas  was  deemed  a  brother  of  the  Wolf  clansman  of  the 
Senecas,  though  originally  there  may  have  been  no  special 
connection  between  them.     It  was  a  tie  apparently  artificial 

*  Rotisenn.akete,  and  Rotinenhiotronon.  See  J.  A.  Cuoq,  Lexiquc  de  la 
Langue  Iroquoise,  p.  154.  The  proper  meaning  of  these  names  will  be 
hereafter  shown. 

*  League  of  the  Iroquois,  p.  91. 


•'— r»»'.-«*     Ifc-i*.' 


^ml 


THE    CONDOLING   COUNCIL. 


63 


in  its  origin,  as  much  so  as  the  tie  which  binds  a  freemason  of 
Berlin  to  a  freemason  of  New  Orleans.  But  it  came  to  have 
all  the  strength  of  a  tie  of  kindred.  Mr.  Morgan  has  well 
pointed  out  the  wisdom  shown  by  the  Iroquois  founders,  in 
availing  themselves  of  this  powerful  element  of  strength  in  the 
formation  of  their  federal  constitution.*.  Their  government, 
though  politically  a  league  of  nations,  was  socially  a  combina- 
tion of  clans.  In  this  way  Hiawatha  and  Dekanawidah  may 
be  deemed  to  have  given  to  the  system  of  clanship  an  exten- 
sion and  a  force  which  it  had  not  previously  possessed  ;  and 
it  is  by  no  means  unlikely  that  this  example  may,  as  the 
Iroquois  assert,  have  acted  upon  neighboring  nations,  and  led 
to  a  gradual  increase  in  the  number  and  influence  of  these 
brotherhoods. 

But  here  a  discrepancy  presents  itself  in  the  Iroquois  sys- 
tem, which  has  perplexed  all  who  have  written  on  the  subject. 
Two  of  the  Six  Nations,  the  Caniengas  and  Oneidas,  had  only 
three  clans,  the  Wolf,  the  Tortoise  and  the  Bear ;  while  the 
others  had,  or  at  least  have,  each  eight  or  nine,  and  these 
variously  styled  in  the  different  nations.  The  three  which 
have  been  named  are,  indeed,  found  in  all ;  but  besides  these 
three,  the  Onondagas  have  five,  Deer,  Eel,  Beaver,  Ball  and 
Snipe.  The  Cayugas  and  Senecas  have  also  ei^ht  clans, 
which  are  similar  to  those  of  the  Onondagas,  except  that 
among  the  Cayugas  the  Ball  clan  is  replaced  by  the  Hawk, 
and  among  the  Senecas  both  Ball  a. id  Eel  disappear,  and  are 
replaced  by  Hawk  and  Heron.  The  Tuscaroras  have  like- 
wise eight  clans,  but  among  these  are  neither  the  Hawk,  the 
Heron  or  the  Ball.  In  lieu  of  them  the  Wolf  clan  is  divided 
into  two,  the  Gray  Wolf  and  the  Yellow  Wolf,  and  the  Tor- 
toise furnishes  two,  the  Great  Tortoise  and  the  Little  Tor- 
toise ;^  the  Bear,  the  Beaver,  the  Eel  and  the  Snipe  remain, 
as  among  the  Onondagas,  Cayugas  and  Senecas. 

^League  of  the  Iroquois,  p.  82,  et  seq. 

*  It  is  deserving  of  notice  that  this  division  of  the  Tortoise  clan  seems  to 


; 


■P 


54 


INTRODUCTION. 


We  are  naturally  led  to  ask  how  it  happens  that  only  three 
clans  are  found  among  the  Caniengas  and  Oneidas,  while  the 
other  nations  have  eight.  Mr.  Morgan  was  inclined  to  think 
that  the  other  five  once  existed  among  the  two  former  nations, 
and  had  become  extinct.'  The  native  annalists  of  those 
nations,  however,  affirm  that  no  more  than  three  clans  ever 
existed  among  them.  This  assertion  is  now  confirmed,  indi- 
jrectly  but  strongly,  by  the  testimony  of  the  Book  of  Rites, 
'  which  seems  to  show  that  only  three  clans  were  recognized  in 
the  whole  confederacy  when  the  League  was  formed.  All  the 
towns  of  the  united  nations  were  distributed  among  the  three 
primary  clans  of  the  Wolf,  the  Tortoise  and  the  Bear.  If  the 
other  clans  existed,  it  was  probably  merely  as  septs  or  divi- 
sions of  these  three.  ^  It  is  more  likely,  however,  tha*-  these 
additional  clans  were  of  later  creation  or  introduction.  Their 
origin,  as  well  as  their  restriction  to  the  three  western  nations, 
may  be  easily  explained.     The  successive  conquests  achieved 

exist  in  a  nascent  form  among  the  Onondagas.  The  name  of  this  clan  is 
Ilahnowa,  which  is  the  general  word  for  tortoise ;  but  the  cla.i  is  divided 
into  two  septs  or  subdivisions,  the  Hanyatengona,  or  Great  Tortoise,  and 
the  Nikahnowaksa,  or  Little  Tortoise,  which  together  arc  held  to  consti- 
tute but  one  clan.  How  or  why  the  distinction  is  kept  up  I  did  not  learn. 
In  the  Book  of  Rites  the  Tortoise  clan  is  also  spoken  of  in  the  dual  num- 
ber— "the  two  clans  of  the  Tortoise."  It  is  probable,  therefore  t  this 
partial  subdivision  extended  throughout  the  original  Five  Natiui.  ,  and 
Decame  complete  among  the  Tuscaroras. 

*  League  of  the  Iroquois,  p.  8l.     Ancient  Society,  p.  92. 

2  "  The  Turtle  family,  or  the  Anowara,  was  the  most  noble  of  the  whole 
League;  next  came  the  Ochquari,  or  clan  of  the  Hear,  and  the  Oquacho, 
or  that  of  the  Wolf.  These  three  were  so  prominent  that  Zeisberger 
hardly  recognizes  the  others." — De  Sc/nveinitz's  Life  of  Zeisberger,  p.  79. 
Zeisberger  had  been  adopted  into  the  nation  of  the  Onondagas  and  the 
clan  of  the  Tortoise.  His  knowledge  of  the  laws  and  usages  of  the 
Kanonsionni  was  accjuired  chiefly  in  that  nation.  Charlevoix  makes  the 
Bear  the  leading  clan  of  the  Iroquois.  It  would  seem  that  the  relative 
rank  of  the  clans  varied  in  the  different  nations.  The  chiefs  of  the  Wolf 
clan  come  first  in  the  list  of  Oneida  councillors. 


THE    CONDOLING   COUNCIL. 


55 


by  the  Iroquois  in  the  early  part  of  the  seventeenth  century 
had  the  result  of  incorporating  with  their  people  great  num- 
bers of  Ilurons,  Eries,  Attivvandaronks,  Andastes,  and  other 
captives  belonging  to  tribes  of  the  same  stock,  speaking 
similar  dialects,  and  having  usages  closely  resembling  those 
of  their  captors.  Of  these  captives,  some  were  directly 
adopted  into  the  Iroquois  families  and  clans  ;  but  a  larger 
number  remained  for  a  time  in  separate  towns,  retaining 
their  own  usages.  They  were  regarded,  however,  and  they 
regarded  themselves,  as  Iroquois.  Constant  intercourse  and 
frequent  intermarriages  soon  abolished  all  distinctions  of 
national  origin.  But  the  distinction  of  clanship  would 
remain.  The  Hurons  (or,  at  least,  the  Tionontates,  or  To- 
bacco Nation)  had  clans  of  the  Deer  and  the  Hawk,  and  they 
had  a  Snal:e  clan  bearing  a  name  {yagonirunoti)  not  unlike  the 
name  of  the  Onondaga  Eel  clan  {ogoiiicna),  and  evidently 
derived  from  the  same  root.  The  other  conquered  nations 
had  doubtless  some  peculiar  clans;  for  these  brotherhoods,  as 
has  been  shown,  were  constantly  in  process  of  formation  and 
change  among  the  Indian  tribes.  Almost  all  the  captives 
were  incorporated  with  the  three  western  nations  of  the 
League,  to  whom  the  conquered  tribes  were  mostly  nearer 
than  to  the  Caniengas  and  Oneidas.  The  origin  of  the  addi- 
tional clans  among  the  OnoncAgas,  Cayugas  and  Senecas  is 
thus  readily  understood. 

One  fiict,  important  in  its  connection  with  the  structure  of 
the  federal  council,  remains  to  be  noted,  and  if  possible, 
elucidated.  The  councillors  of  each  nation  were  divided  into 
classes,  whose  part  in  the  deliberations  of  the  councils  bore 
a  certain  resemblance  to  that  held  by  the  committees  of  our 
legislatures  The  operation  of  this  system  cannot  be  better 
described  than  in  the  words  of  Morgan  :  "  The  founders  of 
the  confederacy,  seeking  to  obviate,  as  far  as  possible, 
altercation  in  council,  and  to  facilitate  their  progress  to 
unanimity,  divided  the  sachems  of  each  nation  into  classes. 


f 


I 

I 


ft 


p 


n 


56 


INTRODUCTION. 


usually  of  two  or  three  each,  as  will  be  seen  by  referring  to 
the  table  of  sachemships.  No  sachem  was  permitted  to  ex- 
press an  opinion  in  council,  until  he  had  agreed  with  the  other 
sachem  or  sachems  of  his  class  upon  the  opinion  to  be  expressed, 
and  had  received  an  appointment  to  act  as  speaker  for  the 
class.  Thus  the  eight  Seneca  sachems,  being  in  four  classes, 
could  have  but  four  opinions,  the  ten  Cayuga  sachems  but 
four.  In  this  manner  each  class  was  brought  to  unanimity 
within  itself.  A  cross-consultation  was  then  held  between 
the  four  sachems  who  represented  the  four  classes ;  and 
when  they  had  agreed,  they  appointed  one  of  their  num- 
ber to  express  their  resulting  opinion,  which  was  the  answer 
of  their  nation.  The  several  nations  having,  by  this  ingenious 
method,  become  of  "  one  mind  "  separately,  it  only  remained 
to  compare  their  several  opinions  to  arrive  at  the  final  senti- 
ment of  all  the  sachems  of  the  League.  This  was  effected  by 
a  conference  between  the  individual  representatives  of  the 
several  nations  ;  and  when  they  had  arrived  at  unanimity,  the 
answer  of  the  League  was  determined."* 

A  careful  consideration  of  the  facts,  in  the  light  cast  upon 
them  by  the  evidence  of  the  "Book  of  Rites  "  and  the  testi- 
mony of  the  Canadian  Iroquois,  leaves  no  doubt  that  these 
classes  were  originally  identical  with  the  clans.  Among  the 
Caniengas  and  Oneidas  this  identity  still  exists.  Each  of 
these  nations  received  nine  representatives  in  the  federal 
council.  These  were — and  still  are — divided  into  three 
classes,  each  composed  of  three  members,  and  each  class  repre- 
senting a  clan.  In  the  Canienga  tribe  the  members  of  the  first 
class  are  all  of  the  Tortoise  clan,  those  of  the  second  class  are 
of  the  Wolf  clan,  and  those  of  the  third  class  of  the  Bear  clan. 
Among  the  Oneidas,  the  councillors  of  the  first  class  belong 
to  the  Wolf  clan,  those  of  the  second  class  to  the  Tortoise 
clan,  and  those  of  the  third  class  to  the  Bear  clan.  Such  was 
the  information  which  Mr.  Morgan  received  from  his  Seneca 

'^Leas^ue  of  the  Iroquois,'^,  \\2. 


THE    CONDOLING   COUNCIL. 


57 


friends,  and  such  I  found  to  be  the  fact  among  the  Iroquois 
now  in  Canada.  When  we  come  to  the  other  nations  we  find 
a  wholly  different  state  of  things.  No  correspondence  now 
exists  between  the  classes  and  the  clans.  The  Cayugas  have 
now,  as  has  been  shown,  eight  clans  ;  but  of  these  only  six, 
according  to  the  list  given  by  Morgan,  and  only  five  in  that 
furnished  to  me  by  the  Canadian  chiefs,  are  represented  in  the 
council.  These  are  distributed  in  three  classes,  which  do  not 
correspond  to  the  clans.  In  Morgan's  list  the  first  class  has 
five  members,  the  first  of  whom  belongs  to  the  Deer  clan,  the 
second  to  that  of  the  Heron,  the  third  and  fourth  to  that  of 
the  Bear,  and  the  fifth  to  that  of  the  Tortoise.  In  my  list 
this  class  also  comprises  five  chiefs,  of  whom  the  first  two 
(identical  in  name  with  the  first  two  of  Morgan)  belong  to  the 
Deer  clan,  while  the  third  (who  bears  the  same  name  as  Mr. 
Morgan's  third)  is  of  the  Bear  clan.  In  the  "  Book  of  Rites  ' ' 
the  first  Cayuga  class  comprises  only  two  chiefs,  but  their 
clans  (which  were  supposed  to  be  known  to  the  hearers)  are 
not  indicated.  The  fourteen  Onondaga  councillors  are 
divided  into  five  classes,  according  to  Morgan,  and  also  in  the 
modern  Canadian  list.  The  "  Book  of  Rites  "  seems  to  give 
only  four,  but  none  of  these — according  to  the  evidence  of  the 
Canadian  chiefs — correspond  with  the  modern  clans  ;  and 
the  same  councillor,  in  lists  received  from  different  sources, 
is  found  to  belong  to  different  classes  and  different  clans. 
Thus  the  distinguished  title  of  Skanawati  is  borne,  in  Mr. 
Morgan's  list,  by  a  chief  of  the  fifth  class  and  of  the  third 
clan.  In  the  list  obtained  by  me  at  Onondaga  Castle  this 
chief  is  of  the  fourth  class  and  of  the  P.all  clan.  The  great 
Seneca  chief  Kanyadariyo  is,  in  Mr.  Morgan's  list,  a  member 
of  the  Tortoise  clan,  while  among  the  Canadian  Senecas  he 
belongs  to  the  Wolf  clan.  In  short,  it  is  evident  that  tlie  in- 
troduction of  the  new  clans  among  the  western  nations  has 
thrown  this  part  of  their  constitutional  system  into  confusion. 
The  probability  is  that  when  the  confederacy  was  established 

E 


^ 


58 


INTRODUCTION. 


i\ 


only  three  clans,  Bear,  Wolf  and  Tortoise,  existed  among 
the  Iroquois,  as  only  three  clans.  Bear,  Wolf  and  Turkey, 
existed  in  recent  times  among  their  Algonkin  neighbors,  the 
Lenni  Lenape,  or  Dclawares.  Thus  the  classes  of  their  Council 
grew  spontaneously  out  of  their  clan  system,  as  the  senators 
of  each  clan  would  naturally  consult  together.  Afterwards 
new  clans  arose ;  but  it  seems  probable  that  when  the  list  of 
councillors  comprised  in  the  "  Book  of  Rites"  was  written — 
that  is,  about  the  middle  of  the  last  century — the  correspon- 
dence of  classes  and  clans  was  still  maintained.  The  number 
of  both  was  increased  in  the  western  tribes,  but  each  class 
was  still  composed  of  chiefs  of  the  same  clan.  The  written 
book  fixed  the  classes  to  a  certain  extent,  but  the  clans  to 
which  their  members  belonged  continued  to  vary,  under  the 
influence  of  political  and  social  changes.  If,  at  the  death  of 
a  councillor,  no  member  of  his  clan  was  found  qualified  to 
succeed  him,  a  successor  would  be  elected  from  another  clan 
which  was  deemed  to  be  in  some  way  connected  with  him.  I 
was  assured  by  the  Onondaga  chiefs  of  the  New  York  Reser- 
vation that  this  was  their  rule  at  present ;  and  it  is  'piite 
sufficient  to  account  for  the  departure,  in  the  western  nations, 
from  the  ancient  system.  It  is  evident  that  after  the  nations 
and  clans  were  rent  to  fragments  by  the  dissensions  and 
emigration  caused  by  the  American  Revolution,  these  changes 
would,  for  time,  be  necessarily  frequent.  And  thus  it 
happens  tl  iefs  are  found  in  the  duplicate  confederacies 

which  after  t  disruption  were  established  in  Canada  and 
New  York,  wh  >ear  the  same  titular  designation,  but  differ 
both  in  the  clans  and  in  the  classes  to  which  they  belong. 


CHAPTER  V. 

The  Condolence  and  the  Installation. 


With  the  arrival  at  the  Council  House  the  "opening 
ceremony"  is  concluded.  In  the  house  the  members  of  the 
Council  were  seated  in  the  usual  array,  on  opposite  sides  of 
the  house.  On  one  side  were  the  three  elder  nations,  the 
Caniengas,  Onondagas,  and  Senecas,  and  on  the  other 
the  younger,  who  were  deemed,  and  styled  in  Council,  the 
offspring  of  the  former.  These  younger  members,  originally 
two  in  number,  the  Oneidas  and  Cayugas,  had  afterwards  an 
important  accession  in  the  Tuscarora  nation  ;  and  in  later 
years  several  smaller  tribes,  or,  as  they  were  styled,  additional 
braces  of  the  Extended  House,  were  received, — Tuteloes,  Nan- 
ticokes,  Delawares  and  others.  In  the  Onondaga  portion  of 
the  book  the  younger  tribes  speak  as  "we  three  brothers." 
The  earliest  of  the  later  accessions  seems  to  have  taken  place 
about  the  year  1753,  when  the  Tuteloes  and  Nanticokes  were 
admitted.  '■  These  circumstances  afford  additional  evidence 
that  the  Book  was  originally  written  prior  to  that  date  and  < 
subsequent  to  the  year  17 14,  when  the  Tuscaroras  were  received 
into  the  League. 

If  the  deceased  chief  belonged  to  one  of  the  three  older 
nations,  the  duty  of  conducting  the  condoling  ceremony 
which  followed  was  performed  by  the  younger  nations,  who 
mourned  for  him  as  for  a  father  or  an  uncle.  If  hf  v/pre  a 
chief  of  one  of  the  younger  nations,  the  others  lamented  him 
as  a  son  or  a  nephew.  The  mourning  nations  selected  as 
their  representative  a  high  chief,  usually  a  distinguished  orator, 
familiar  with  the  usages  and  laws  of  the  League,  to  conduct 


» ^\':  r.  //is/.  Col.,  Vol.  6,  p.  811. 
p.  414. 


Stone's  Z</(?  of  Sir  IVilliam  Johnson, 


59 


'1 


60 


INTRODUCTION. 


ill 


II 


H 


!i    I 


these  ceremonies.  The  lamentations  followed  a  prescribed 
routine,  each  successive  topic  of  condolence  being  indicated 
by  a  string  of  wampum,  which,  by  the  arrangement  of  its 
beads,  recalled  the  words  to  the  memory  of  the  officiating 
chief.  In  the  "  Book  of  Rites  "  we  have  these  addresses  of 
condolence  in  a  twofold  form.  The  Canienga  book  gives  us 
the  form  used  by  the  elder  nations ;  and  the  Onondaga 
supplement  adds  the  form  employed  by  the  younger  brothers. 
The  former  is  more  ancient,  and  apparently  more  dignified 
and  formal.  The  speaker  addresses  the  mourners  as  his 
children  {konyennetaglikwcn,  "my  offspring,")  and  recites 
each  commonplace  of  condolence  in  a  curt  and  perfunctory 
style.  He  wipes  away  their  tears  that  they  may  see  clearly  ; 
he  opens  their  ears  that  they  may  hear  readily.  He  removes 
from  their  throats  the  obstruction  with  which  their  grief  is 
choking  them,  so  that  they  may  ease  their  burdened  minds  by 
speaking  freely  to  their  friends.  And  finally,  as  the  loss  of 
their  lamented  chief  may  have  occurred  in  war — and  at  all 
events  many  of  their  friends  have  thus  perished — he  cleans  the 
mats  on  which  they  are  sitting  from  the  figurative  bloodstains, 
so  that  they  may  for  a  time  cease  to  be  reminded  of  their 
losses,  and  may  regain  their  former  cheerfulness. 

The  condolence  of  the  younger  brothers,  expressed  in  the 
Onondaga  book,  is  more  expansive  and  more  sympathetic. 
Though  apparently  disfigured  and  mutilated  by  repeated 
transcriptions,  it  bears  marks  of  having  been  originally  the 
composition  of  a  superior  mind.  All  such  topics  of  consola- 
tion as  would  occur  to  a  speaker  ignorant  or  regardless  of  a 
future  life  are  skillfully  presented,  and  the  whole  address  is 
imbued  with  a  sentiment  of  cordial  tenderness  and  affection. 
Those  who  have  been  accustomed  to  regard  the  Indians  as  a 
cold-hearted  people  will  find  it  difficult  to  reconcile  that  view 
of  their  character  with  the  contrary  evidence  afforded  by  this 
genuine  expression  of  their  feelings,  and,  indeed,  by  the  whole 
tenor  of  the  Book. 


!    ^ 


THE   CONDOLENCE   AND   THE    INSTALLATION.      01 

This  address  concludes  with  the  emphatic  words,  "I  have 
finished;  now  point  me  the  man;"  or,  as  the  words  were 
paraphrased  by  the  interpreter,  "  Now  show  me  the  warrior 
who  is  to  be  the  new  chief."  The  candidate  for  senatorial 
honors,  who  is  to  take  the  place  and  name  of  the  deceased 
councillor,  is  then  brought  forward  by  his  nation.  His 
admission  by  the  assembled  Council,  at  this  stage  of  the  pro- 
ceedings, is  a  matter  of  course  ;  for  his  nation  had  taken  care 
to  ascertain,  before  the  meeting,  that  the  object  of  their  choice 
would  be  acceptable  to  the  councillors  of  the  other  nations. 
The  ceremony  of  induction  consisted  in  the  formal  bestowal 
of  the  new  name  by  which  he  was  henceforth  to  be  known. 
A  chief  placed  himself  on  each  side  of  the  candidate,  and, 
grasping  his  arms,  marched  him  to  and  fro  in  the  Council 
house,  between  the  lines  of  the  assembled  senators.  As  they 
walked  they  proclaimed  his  new  name  and  office,  and  recited, 
in  a  measured  chant,  the  duties  to  which  he  was  now  called, 
the  audience  responding  at  every  pause  with  the  usual  chorus 
of  assent. 

When  this  ceremony  was  finished,  and  the  new  councillor 
had  taken  his  proper  seat  among  the  nobles  of  his  nation,  the 
wampum  belts,  which  comprised  the  historical  records  of  the 
federation,  were  produced,  and  the  officiating  chief  pro- 
ceeded to  explain  them,  one  by  one,  to  the  assemblage. 
This  was  called  "  reading  the  archives. ' '  In  this  way  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  events  signified  by  the  wampum  was  fastened,  by 
repeated  iteration,  in  the  minds  of  the  listeners.  Those  who 
doubt  whether  events  which  occurred  four  centuries  ago  can 
be  remembered  as  clearly  and  minutely  as  they  are  now  recited, 
will  probably  have  their  doubts  removed  when  they  consider 
the  necessary  operation  of  this  custom.  The  orator's  nar- 
rative is  repeated  in  the  presence  of  many  auditors  who  have 
often  heard  it  before,  and  who  would  be  prompt  to  remark 
and  to  correct  any  departure  from  the  well-known  history. 
This  narrative  is  not  recorded  in  the  Book  of  Rites.     At 


1. 


62 


INTRODUCTION. 


the  time  when  that  was  written,  the  annals  of  the  confederacy 
were  doubtless  supposed  to  be  sufficiently  preserved  by  the 
wampum  records.  The  speeches  and  ceremonies  which  fol- 
lowed, and  which  were  of  c(|ual,  if  not  greater  importance,  had 
no  such  evidences  to  recall  them.  From  this  statement,  how- 
ever, the  "hymn"  should  be  excepted;  to  each  line  of  it, 
except  the  last,  a  wampum  string  was  devoted.  With  this 
exception,  all  was  left  to  the  memory  of  the  orator.  The 
Homeric  poems,  the  hymns  of  the  Vedas,  the  Kalcwala,  the 
Polynesian  genealogies,  and  many  other  examples,  show  the 
exactness  with  which  a  composition  that  interests  a  whole 
nation  may  be  handed  down  ;  but  it  is  not  surprising  that 
when  the  chiefs  became  aware  of  the  superior  advantages  of  a 
written  record,  they  should  have  had  recourse  to  it.  We 
need  not  doubt  that  Chief  David  of  Schoharie,  or  whoever 
else  was  the  scribe  appointed  to  this  duty,  has  faithfully 
preserved  the  substance,  and,  for  the  most  part,  the  very 
words,  of  the  speeches  and  chants  which  he  had  often 
heard  under  such  impressive  circumstances. 

The  hymn,  or  karenna,  deserves  a  special  notice.  In 
every  important  council  of  the  Iroquois  a  song  or  chant  is 
considered  a  proper  and  almost  essential  part  of  the  proceed- 
ings. Such  official  songs  are  mentioned  in  many  reports  of 
treaty  councils  held  with  them  by  the  French  and  English 
authorities.  In  this  greatest  of  all  councils  the  song  must, 
of  course,  have  a  distinguished  place.  It  follows  immediately 
upon  the  address  of  greeting  and  condolence,  and  is,  in  fact, 
regarded  as  the  completion  of  it,  and  the  introduction  to  the 
equally  important  ceremony  which  is  to  follow,  viz.,  the 
repetition  of  the  ancient  laws  of  the  confederacy.  This 
particular  hymn  is  of  great  anti(iuity.  Some  of  the  chiefs 
expressed  to  me  the  opinion  that  it  was  composed  by  Dekana- 
widah  or  Hiawatha.  Its  tenor,  however,  as  well  as  that  of 
the  whole  book,  shows  that  it  belongs  to  a  later  period.  The 
ceremonies  of  the  council  were  doubtless  prescribed  by  the 


THE   CONDOLENCE    AND   THE    INSTALLATION.      03 


founders  of  tlie  T,cague  ;  but  the  speeches  of  the  Book,  and 
this  hymn,  all  refer  to  the  I-eague  as  the  work  of  a  past  age. 
The  speakers  appeal  to  the  wisdom  of  their  forefathers  (liter- 
ally, their  grandsires),  and  lament  the  degeneracy  of  the  later 
times.  They  expressly  declare  that  those  who  established  the 
"great  peace"  were  in  their  graves,  and  had  taken  their  work 
with  them  and  placed  it  as  a  pillow  under  them.  This  is  the 
language  of  men  who  remembered  the  founders,  and  to  whom 
the  burial  of  the  last  of  them  was  a  comparatively  recent 
event.  If  the  League  was  formed,  as  seems  probable,  about 
the  year  1450,  the  speeches  and  hymn,  in  their  present  form, 
may  reasonably  be  referred  to  the  early  part  of  the  next  cen- 
tury. There  is  reason  to  believe  that  the  formation  of  the 
confederacy  was  followed  by  wars  with  the  Hurons  and 
Algonkin  tribes,  in  which,  as  usual,  many  changes  of  fortune 
took  place.  If  the  Hurons,  as  has  been  shown,  were  expelled 
from  their  abode  on  the  northern  shore  of  the  St.  Lawrence, 
the  Mohegans,  on  the  other  hand,  inflicted  some  serious  blows 
upon  the  eastern  nations  of  the  confederacy.^  The  Delawares 
were  not  conquered  and  reduced  to  subjection  without  a  long 
and  sanguinary  struggle.  In  a  Condoling  Council  we  might 
expect  that  the  tone  of  feeling  would  be  lugubrious;  but  the 
sense  of  loss  and  of  danger  is  too  marked  in  all  the  s])eeches 
of  the  Canienga  Book  to  be  merely  a  formal  utterance.  It 
does  not  appear  in  those  of  the  Onondaga  Book,  which  is 
seemingly  of  later  composition. 

The  "karenna,"  or  chant  of  the  Condoling  Council,  may 
be  styled  the  National  Hymn  of  the  Iroquois.  A  comparison 
between  it  and  other  national  hymns,  whose  chief  character- 
istics are  self-glorification  and  defiance,  might  afford  room 
for  some  instructive  inferences.  This  hymn,  it  should  be 
remarked,  brief  as  it  is,  is  regarded  by  the  Indians  as  a  collec- 
tion of  songs.  Each  line,  in  fact,  is,  in  their  view,  a  song  by 
itself,  and  is  brought  to  mind  by  its  own  special  wampum 
^  See  the  Jesuit  Relation  for  1C60,  p.  6, 


64 


INTRODUCTION. 


i 


String.  In  singing,  each  line  is  twice  repeated,  and  is  intro- 
duced and  followed  by  many  long-drawn  repetitions  of  the 
exclamation  aihaigh  (or  rather  hailiaih)  which  is  rendered 
"hail !  "  and  from  which  tlie  hymn  derives  its  designation. 
In  the  first  line  the  speaker  salutes  the  "Peace,"  or  the 
league,  whose  blessings  they  enjoy.  In  the  next  he  greets 
the  kindred  of  the  deceased  chief,  who  are  the  special  objects 
of  the  public  sympathy.  Then  he  salutes  the  oycnkondonh,  a 
term  which  has  been  rendered  "  warriors."  This  rendering, 
however,  may  have  a  misleading  effect.  The  word  has 
nothing  to  do  with  war,  unless  in  the  sense  that  every  grown 
man  in  an  Indian  community  is  supposed  to  be  a  soldier. 
Except  in  this  hymn,  the  word  in  question  is  now  disused. 
An  elderly  chief  assured  me  that  he  had  sung  it  for 
years  without  knowing  its  precise  meaning.  Some  of  his 
fellow-councillors  were  better  informed.  The  word  is  appa- 
rently derived  from  onkwc,  man,  which  in  the  Onondaga 
dialect  becomes  ycn/aue.  It  comprises  all  the  men  (the 
"manhood  "  or  mankind)  of  the  nation — as,  in  the  follow- 
ing verse,  the  word  wakonnyh,  which  is  also  obsolete,  signi- 
fies the  "  womanhood,"  or  all  the  women  of  the  people  with 
whom  the  singer  condoles.  In  the  next  line  he  invokes  the 
laws  which  their  forefathers  established  ;  and  he  concludes  by 
calling  upon  his  hearers  to  listen  to  the  wisdom  of  their  fore- 
fatliers,  which  he  is  about  to  recite.  As  a  whole,  the  hymn 
may  be  described  as  an  expression  of  reverence  for  the  laws 
and  for  the  dead,  and  of  sympathy  with  the  living.  Such  is 
the  "national  anthem," — the  Marseillaise, — of  the  ferocious 
Iroquois. 

Tlie  regard  for  women  which  is  ai)[)arent  in  this  hymn,  and 
in  other  passages  of  tlie  Hook,  is  deserving  of  notice.  The 
common  notion  that  women  among  the  Indians  were  treated 
as  inferiors,  and  made  "  beasts  of  burden,"  is  unfounded  so 
far  as  the  Iroquois  are  concerned,  and  among  all  other  tribes 
of  which  I  have  any  knowledge.     With  them,  as  with  civilized 


THE    CONDOLENCE   AND    THE    INSTALLATION.      65 

nations,  the  work  of  the  community  and  the  cares  of  the 
family  are  fairly  divided.  Among  the  Iroquois  the  hunting 
and  fishing,  the  house-building  and  canoe-making,  fell  to  the 
men.  The  women  cooked,  made  the  dresses,  scratched  the 
ground  with  their  light  hoes,  planted  and  gathered  the  crops, 
and  took  care  of  the  children.  The  household  goods  be- 
longed to  the  woman.  On  her  death,  her  relatives,  and  not 
her  husband,  claimed  them.  The  children  were  also  hers; 
they  belonged  to  her  clan,  and  in  case  of  a  separation  they 
went  M'ith  her.  She  was  really  the  head  of  the  household  ; 
and  in  this  capacity  her  right,  when  she  chanced  to  be  the 
oldest  matron  of  a  noble  family,  to  select  the  successor  of  a 
deceased  chief  of  that  family,  was  recognized  by  the  highest 
law  of  the  confederacy.  That  this  rank  and  position  were 
greatly  prized  is  shown  by  a  remarkable  passage  in  the  Jesuit 
Relations.  A  Canienga  matron,  becoming  a  Christian,  left 
her  country,  with  two  of  her  children,  to  enjoy  greater  free- 
dom in  her  devotions  among  the  French.  The  act,  writes 
the  missionary,  so  offended  her  family  that,  in  a  public  meet- 
ing of  the  town,  "  they  degraded  her  from  the  rank  of  the 
nobility,  and  took  from  her  the  title  of  Oyandcr,  that  is, 
honorable  {^considerable) — a  title  which  they  esteem  highly, 
and  which  slie  had  inherited  from  her  ancestors,  and  deserved 
by  her  good  judgment,  her  prudeuce,  and  her  excellent 
conduct ;  and  at  the  .same  time  they  installed  another  in  her 
place."  1 

The  complete  equality  of  the  sexes  in  social  estimation  and 
influence  is  apparent  in  all  the  narratives  of  the  cr.rly  mission- 
aries, who  were  the  best  possible  judges  on  this  point.  Casual 
observers  have  been  misled  by  the  al)sence  of  those  artificial 
expre.ssions  of  courtesy  which  have  descended  to  us  from  the 

1  Rflatioit  of  1671,  ;■>.  6.  Tlie  word  oyandiT  in  modern  pronunciation 
becomes  oyaiicr.  It  is  derived  from  the  root  )\uiit,  nohio,  and  is  the 
feminine  form  of  the  word  royaner,  lord,  or  nobleman, — the  title  applied 
to  the  members  of  the  federal  council. 


^^ 


I 

i 


s 


I 


66 


INTRODUCTION. 


time  of  chivalry,  and  which,  however  gracious  and  pleasing  to 
witness,  are,  after  all,  merely  signs  of  condescension  and  pro- 
tection from  the  strong  to  the  weak.  The  Iroquois  does  not 
give  up  his  seat  to  a  woman,  or  yield  her  precedence  on 
leaving  a  room  ;  but  he  secures  her  in  the  possession  of  her 
property,  he  recognizes  her  right  to  the  children  she  has 
borne,  and  he  submits  to  her  decision  the  choice  of  his  future 
rulers. 


CHAPTER  VI. 
The  Laws  of  the  League. 

It  is  the  custom  of  the  officiating  orator,  while  the  chant  is 
going  on,  to  walk  to  and  fro  in  the  council-house.  When  the 
hymn  is  finished,  he  breaks  out  into  a  passionate  invocation 
to  their  forefathers,  and  a  lament  over  the  degeneracy  of  the 
times.  This,  as  the  French  missionaries  inforn^  us,  was  a 
favorite  topic  of  Indian  speakers.  '  Among  the  Iroquois, 
who  could  look  back  to  an  era  of  genuine  statesmen  and 
heroes,  the  authors  of  their  constitution,  this  conii)laint  must 
have  had  a  peculiar  force  and  sincerity.  After  this  appeal  to 
the  founders  of  their  state,  there  naturally  followed  an  address 
to  the  Council  and  the  people,  reciting  "  all  the  rules  they 
decided  on,  which  they  thought  would  strengthen  tlie  house." 
By  "the  house"  was  meant,  of  course,  the  house  of  many 
hearths,  to  which  they  likened  their  confederacy.  The 
"  rules  "  or  laws  which  follow  require  some  explanation,  that 
their  full  value  may  be  understood. 

The  first  law  prescribes  that  when  a  chief  dies  his  office  shall 
not  perish  with  him.  This  is  expressed,  in  I'cir  metaphorical 
style,  by  an  injimction  that  the  "horns,"  or  insignia  of  office, 
shall  not  be  buried  with  the  deceased  chief,  but  '•hall  be 
taken  off  at  his  death,  to  be  transferred  <o  his  successor- 
This  rule  is  laid  down  in  the  most  nrgenc  and  impressive 
terms.  "  We  sliould  perhaps  all  perish  if  his  office  is  buried 
with  him  in  his  grave."  This  systematic  transmission  of 
official  rank  was,  in  fact,  the  vital  principle  of  their  govern- 
ment.    It  was  in  this  system  that  their  federal  union  differed 

1  See  the  J\i/iifion  of  1639,  p.  57:  "  C'est  la  plainte  ordinaire  des 
Capitaines  [of  the  Ilurons]  ([ue  tout  se  va  pcrdant,  a  faute  de  gardcr  les 
formes  et  coustoumes  de  leurs  ancestres." 

67 


|5 


i! 

I 


I 


68 


INTRODUCTION. 


from  the  frequent  and  transitory  confederacies  common 
among  the  Indian  tribes.  In  general,  among  nearly  all  the 
tribes,  the  rank  of  a  chief  was  personal.  It  was  gained  by  the 
character  and  achievements  of  the  individual,  and  it  died 
with  him.  Hence  their  government  and  policy,  so  far  as  they 
can  be  said  to  have  had  any,  were  always  uncertain  and  fluc- 
tuating. No  person  understood  the  Indian  usages  better  than 
Zeisberger.  His  biographer  has  well  described  the  difference 
which  existed  in  this  respect  between  the  Iroquois  and  their 
neighbors.  "  The  Algonkins,"  he  writes,  "  knew  nothing  of 
regular  government.  They  had  no  system  of  polity ;  there 
was  no  unity  of  action  among  them.  The  affairs  even  of  a 
single  tribe  were  managed  in  the  loosest  manner."  After 
briefly,  but  accurately,  delineating  the  Iroquois  system  of 
councils,  he  adds  :  "  Thus  they  became  both  a  political  and 
a  military  power  among  the  aborigines  ;  the  influence  of  their 
league  was  felt  everywhere,  and  their  concjuests  extended  in 
every  direction."  '  The  principle  that  "the  chief  dies  but 
the  office  survives," — the  regular  transmission  of  rank,  title 
and  authority,  by  a  method  partly  hereditary  and  partly 
elective, — was  the  principle  on  which  the  life  and  strength  of 
the  Iroquois  constitution  depended. 

Next  followed  a  provision  of  hardly  less  importance.  The 
wars  among  the  Indian  tribes  arise  almost  always  from  indi- 
vidual murders.  The  killing  of  a  tribesman  by  the  members 
of  another  community  concerns  his  whole  people.  If  satisfac- 
tion is  not  promptly  made,  war  follows,  as  a  matter  of  course.  * 
The  founders  of  the  Iroquois  commonwealth  decreed  that 
.wars  for  this  cause  should  not  be  allowed  to  rise  between  any 
of  their  cantons.     On  this  point  a  special  charge  was  given  to 

1  De  Schvveinitz:     Life  of  Zeisberger,  p.  39. 

*  Relation,  of  1636,  p.  119,  "  C'est  de  la  que  naissent  les  guerres,  et 
c'est  un  sujet  i)liis([ue  suffisant  de  prendre  les  amies  coiitre  nuelc|iie  V'illage 
quand  il  refuse  de  satisfaire  par  les  presents  ordonnez,  pour  celuy  qui  vous 
aurait  tu6  quelq'un  des  vostres." — Brebeuf,  onthellurons. 


■",  rrv-' --*■•■ 


'  *•.•.*<  •*-►•<" 


THE    LAWS   OF   THE    LEAGUE. 


69 


the  members  of  the  Great  Council.  They  were  enjoined  (in 
the  figurative  language  employed  throughout  the  Book)  not 
to  allow  the  murder  to  be  discussed  in  a  national  assembly, 
where  the  exasperation  of  the  young  men  might  lead  to  mis- 
chief, but  to  reserve  it  for  their  own  consideration  ;  and  they 
were  required  as  soon  as  possible  to  bury  all  animosities 
that  might  arise  from  it.  The  figure  employed  is  impres- 
sive. They  were  to  uproot  a  huge  pine-tree — the  well-known 
emblem  of  their  I,eague — disclosing  a  deep  cavity,  below 
which  an  undcrgrotmd  stream  would  be  swiftly  flowing. 
Into  this  current  they  were  to  cast  the  cause  of  trouble,  and 
then,  replacing  the  tree,  hide  the  mischief  forever  from  their 
people. 

How  strictly  in  spirit  these  injunctions  were  followed,  and 
with  what  good  effect,  their  whole  history  shows.  A  notable 
instance  of  the  readinegs  and  ingenuity  of  their  statesmen  in 
finding  the  means  of  public  reconciliation  in  such  cases  is 
given  in  the  Jesuit  narrative.  On  the  24th  of  July,  1657,  a 
great  council  was  held  at  Onondaga  to  consider  three  matters, 
all  of  special  import.  First  in  order  was  the  necessity  of 
appeasing  a  threatened  quarrel  between  two  of  the  leading 
nations,  the  Senecas  and  the  Caniengas,  caused  by  a  misad- 
venture in  which  a  Seneca  "captain"  had  been  killed  by 
some  warriors  of  the  eastern  nation.  Next  in  importance 
was  the  reception  of  a  large  party  of  Frenchmen,  headed  by 
Father  Francis  le  Mercier,  the  Superior  of  the  Jesuit  mission- 
aries in  Canada,  who  had  come  to  form  a  settlement  among 
the  Iroquois.  And,  finally,  they  had  to  prepare  the  jilan 
and  the  means  for  an  expedition  against  some  hostile  tribes. 
Before  the  meeting  of  the  Council  the  Frenchmen  had  paid  a 
formal  visit  to  the  Seneca  delegates,  whom  they  found  "filling 
the  air  with  songs  of  mourning  "  for  their  slauglitcred  chief, 
and  had  manifested  their  sympathy  by  a  present,  "to  alleviate 
the  grief"  of  the  mourners.  This  incident  seems  to  have 
suggested  to  the  assembled  councillors  a  method  of  effecting 


If 


70 


INTRODUCTION. 


u 


— or  at  least  of  announcing — the  desired  accommodation, 
and  of  paying  at  the  same  time  a  happy  compliment  to  their 
reverend  visitors.  By  common  consent  the  affair  was  referred 
to  the  arbitrament  of  the  Father  Superior,  by  whom  the  dif- 
ference was  promptly  settled.  '  It  was  not  necessary  for  the 
politic  senators  to  inform  their  gratified  visitors  tliat  the  per- 
formance in  which  they  thus  took  part  was  merely  a  formality 
which  ratified,  or  rather  proclaimed,  a  foregone  conclusion. 
The  reconciliation  which  was  prescribed  by  their  constitu- 
tion had  undoubtedly  been  arranged  by  previous  conferences, 
after  their  custom  in  such  matters,  before  the  meeting  of  the 
Council.  "  So  effective  was  this  provision  of  their  constitution 
that  for  more  than  three  centuries  this  main  cause  of  Indian 
M'ars  was  rendered  innocuous,  and  the  "Great  Peace" 
remained  undisturbed.  This  proud  averment  of  their  annalists, 
confirmed  as  it  is  for  more  than  half  the  period  by  the  evi- 
dence of  their  white  neighbors,  cannot  reasonably  be  ques- 
tioned. What  nation  or  confederacy  of  civilized  Europe  can 
show  an  exemption  from  domestic  strife  for  so  long  a  term? 

The  third  rule  or  ordinance  which  the  founders  enacted 
"to  strengthen  the  house  "  is  of  a  remarkable  character.  It 
relates  to  the  mortuary  usages  of  the  people  ;  and  when  these 
are  understood,  the  great  importance  of  this  law  becomes 
apparent.  Among  the  Indians  of  the  Huron-Iroquois  family 
the  ordinary  mourning  for  the  dead  became  exaggerated  into 

1  "  On  tint  ce  grand  conscil  le  24  du  niois  de  Juillet,  oi\  toutes  les 
Nations  remisent  eutre  les  mains  d'Achiendase  (<iui  est  nostre  Pire 
Superieur)  ledifferendd'entre  les  Sonnontoiicronnons  et  les  Agnieronnons, 
qui  fut  bientot  tennine." — Relation  0/16^,  p.  16. 

-  For  a  curious  instance  of  the  manner  in  which  ([ucstions  to  be  appa- 
rently (.lecidod  by  a  Council  were  previously  settled  between  the  parties, 
see  the  Life  of  Zeisbergcr,^.  igo:  "  Gietterowane  was  the  speaker  on 
one  side,  Zeisbcrger  on  the  other.  These  two  consulted  together  privately, 
— Zeisberger  unfolding  the  import  of  the  strings  [of  wampum  which  he 
had  brought  as  ambassador]  and  Gietterowane  committing  to  memory  what 
he  said." 


THE    LAWS   OF   THE    LEAGUE, 


71 


customs  of  the  most  extravagant  character,  exhausting  the 
time  and  strength  of  the  warriors,  and  devouring  their  sub- 
stance. The  French  missionaries  have  left  us  an  account  of 
these  singular  usages  among  the  Hurons,  some  of  which 
excited  their  respect,  and  others  their  astonishment.  "Our 
savages,"  they  wrote,  "  are  in  no  way  savage  as  regards  the 
duties  which  nature  herself  rec^uires  us  to  render  to  the  dead. 
You  would  say  that  their  efforts,  their  toils  and  their  com- 
merce had  no  other  end  than  to  amass  the  means  of  honoring 
the  departed.  They  have  nothing  too  precious  for  this 
object.  To  this  they  devote  their  robes  of  skins,  their 
hatchets  and  wampum,  in  such  profusion  that  you  would 
fancy  they  made  nothing  of  them  ;  and  yet  these  are  the 
riches  of  their  country.  Often  in  midwinter  you  will  see 
them  going  almost  naked,  while  they  have  at  home,  laid  up 
in  store,  good  and  handsome  robes,  which  they  keep  in 
reverence  for  the  dead.  This  is  their  point  of  honor.  In 
this,  above  all,  they  seek  to  show  themselves  magnificent.'''  * 

During  the  three  days  that  preceded  the  burial  of  the  dead, 
or  the  removal  of  his  remains  to  the  scaffold,  the  wails,  groans 
and  lamentations  of  the  relatives  and  neighbors  resounded  in 
the  cabin  where  he  lay.  All  the  stored  riches  were  brought 
forth  and  lavished  in  gifts  "to  "omfort  the  mourners."  The 
mourning  did  not  end  with  the  burial ;  in  fact,  it  may  be  said  to 
have  then  only  begun.  The  "great  mourning,"  as  the  mission- 
aries term  it,  lasted  for  six  days  longer,  during  wliich  the 
mourners  lay,  face  downward,  upon  their  mats,  and  enveloped 
in  their  robes,  speechless,  or  replying  only  by  an  ejaculation 
to  those  who  addressed  them.  During  this  period  they  had 
no  fire  in  the  house,  even  in  winter;  they  ate  their  food  cold, 
and  left  the  cabin  only  at  night,  and  as  secretly  as  possible. 
The  "lesser  mourning"  lasted  for  a  year,  during  which  they 
refrained  from  oiling  their  hair,  attended  public  festivals 
rarely,  and  only  (in  the  case  of  wo'r;.ii)  when  their  mothers 
ordered,  and  were  forbidden  to  marry  again. 

*  lirebeuf,  Relation  of  i()t,(),  p.  128. 


\  I 


1 


72 


INTRODUCTION. 


This,  however,  was  not  all.  Once  in  twelve  years  was  held 
a  great  ceremony  of  reinterment, — a  solemn  "  feast  of  the 
dead,"  as  it  was  called.  Until  the  day  of  this  feast  arrived, 
funeral  rites  in  honor  of  the  departed  were  repeated  from  time 
to  time,  and  feasts  were  held,  at  which,  as  the  expression  was, 
their  names  were  revived,  while  presents  were  distributed,  as 
at  the  time  of  their  death.  The  great  Feast  of  the  Dead, 
however,  was  the  most  important  of  all  their  ceremonies. 
The  bodies  of  all  who  had  died  in  the  nation  during  the  pre- 
ceding twelve  years  were  then  exhumed,  or  removed  from  the 
scaffolds  on  which  they  had  been  laid,  and  the  festering  corpses 
or  cleansed  bones  were  all  interred  together  in  a  vast  pit  lined 
with  robes  of  beaver  skins,  the  most  precious  of  all  their  furs. 
Wampum,  copper  implements,  earthenware,  the  most  valued 
of  their  possessions,  were  cast  into  the  pit,  which  was  then 
solemnly  closed  with  earth.  While  the  ceremony  was  going 
on,  rich  presents  of  all  descriptions,  the  accumulations  of  the 
past  twelve  years,  were  distributed  by  the  relatives  of  the 
deceased  among  the  people.  In  this  distribution,  strange  to 
say,  valuable  fur  robes  were  frequently  cut  and  torn  to  pieces, 
so  as  to  be  rendered  worthless.  A  lavish  display  and  reckless 
destruction  of  wealth  were  deemed  honors  due  to  the  shades 
of  the  departed.^ 

The  Attiwandaronks,  or  Neutrals,  who  Avere  the  nearest 
neighbors  of  the  Iroquois,  were  still  more  extravagant  in  their 
demonstrations  of  affection  for  their  lost  friends.  They,  too, 
had  their  feasts  of  the  dead,  at  regular  intervals.  In  the 
meantime  the  bodies  were  kept  in  their  houses  as  long  as 
possible — "until  the  stench  became  intolerable."  Then, 
when  this  proximity  could  no  longer  be  borne,  the  remains 
were  left  for  a  period  to  decay  on  a  scaffold  in  the  open  air. 
After  a  time  the  remaining  flesh  was  removed  from  the  bones, 

^  Sec  the  Rdation  for  1636,  p.  131,  A  most  vivid  and  f^raphic  descrip- 
tion of  these  extraordinary  ceremonies  is  given  in  Parkman's  admirable 
work,  The  Jesuits  in  North  America,  Chapter  7. 


THE    LAWS   OF   THE    LEAGUE. 


73 


which  were  arranged  on  the  sides  of  their  cabins,  in  full  view 
of  the  inmates,  until  the  great  day  of  general  interment. 
With  these  mournful  objects  before  their  eyes,  renewing 
constantly  the  sense  of  their  loss,  the  women  of  the  household 
were  excited  to  frequent  outbursts  of  grief,  expressed  in  wail- 
ing chants.' 

That  the  Irociuois  in  ancient  times  had  funeral  customs 
similar  to  those  of  their  sister  nations,  and  not  less  revolting, 
cannot  be  doubted.  How  these  shocking  and  pernicious 
usages  were  abolished  at  one  swoop  is  shown  by  the  brief 
passage  in  the  Book  of  Rites  now  under  discussion.  The 
injunctions  are  laconic,  but  full  of  meaning.  When  a  death 
occurs,  the  people  are  told,  "this  shall  be  done."  A  dele- 
gation of  persons,  officially  appointed  for  the  purpose,  shall 
repair  to  the  dwelling  of  the  deceased,  bearing  in  a  pouch 
some  strands  of  mourning  wampum.  The  leader,  holding 
these  strands,  and  standing  by  the  hearth,  shall  address,  in 
the  name  of  the  whole  people,  a  few  words  of  comfort  to  the 
mourners.  And  then  "  they  shall  be  comforted,"  and  shall 
go  on  v.'ith  their  usual  duties.  To  this  simple  ceremony — 
supplemented,  in  the  case  of  a  high  chief,  by  the  rites  of  the 
"Condoling  Council," — the  preposterous  funeral  usages, 
which  pervaded  the  lives  and  wasted  the  wealth  of  the  other 
nations  of  this  stock,  were  reduced,  by  the  wisdom  of  the 
Irocpiois  legislators. 

In  considering  these  remarkable  laws,  it  becomes  evident 
that  the  work  which  Hiawatha  and  Dekanawidah  accomplished 
was  really  a  Great  Reformation,  not  merely  political,  but 
also  social  and  religious.  Tliey  desired  not  only  to  establish 
peace  among  the  nations,  but  also  to  abolish  or  modify  such 
usages  and  beliefs  as  in  their  opinion  were  injurious  to  their 

'"  Cct  object  ([u'lls  ont  dcvant  Ics  yeux,  lour  rciiouvcll.mt   continuelle- 
ment  le  resentiment  de  Icurs  pcitcs,  leur  fait  ordiiKiircnient  letter  des  cris, 
et  Line  des  lamentations  tout  a  fait  hij^ubres,  le  tout  en  chanson.   Mais  cela 
ne  se  fait  que  par  les  femines." — Kdation  of  1641,  p.  73. 
V 


74 


INTRODUCTION. 


people.  It  is  deserving  of  notice  that  a  divinity  unknown, 
at  least  in  name,  to  the  Hurons,  received  special  reverence 
among  the  Iroquois.  The  chief  characters  of  the  Huron 
pantheon  were  a  female  deity,  Ataensic,  a  sort  of  Hecate, 
v'hom  they  sometimes  identified  with  the  moon,  and  her 
grandson,  Juskeha,  who  was  sometimes  regarded  as  the  sun, 
and  as  a  benevolent  spirit,  but  most  commonly  in  their  stories 
appears  as  a  fantastic  and  capricious  goblin,  with  no  moral 
attributes  whatever.  In  the  Ircxpiois  mythology  these  deities 
are  replaced  by  a  personage  of  a  much  higher  character. 
Taronhiawagon,  the  Holder  of  the  Heavens,  was  with  them 
the  Master  of  Life.  He  declared  his  will  to  them  in  dreams, 
and  in  like  manner  disclosed  future  events,  particularly 
such  as  were  important  to  the  public  welfare.  He  was,  in 
fact,  the  national  god  of  the  Irotpiois.  It  was  he  who  guided 
their  fathers  in  their  early  wanderings,  when  they  were  seek- 
ing for  a  place  of  abode.  He  visited  them  from  time  to  time, 
in  person,  to  protect  them  from  their  enemies  and  to  instruct 
them  in  useful  arts. 

It  is  possible  that  the  Iroquois  Taronhiawagon  may  have  been 
originally  the  same  as  the  Huron  Juskeha.  Some  eminent 
authorities  on  Indian  mythology  are  inclined  to  this 
opinion.  On  the  other  hand,  the  earlier  Jesuit  mis- 
sionaries give  no  hint  of  such  identity,  and  the  Tuscarora 
historian,  Cusick,  seems  to  distinguish  between  these  divine 
personages.  But  whether  we  accept  this  view  or  seek  for  any 
other  origin,  there  seems  reason  to  suppose  that  tlie  more 
exalted  conception  of  this  deity,  who  is  certainly,  in  character 
and  attributes,  one  of  the  noblest  creations  of  the  North 
American  mythologies,  dates  from  the  era  of  the  confederacy, 
when  he  became  more  especially  the  chief  divinity  and  pro- 
tector of  the  Kanonsionni. ' 

1  See  for  Taronhiawagon  the  Jesuit  Relations  for  1670,  pp,  47,  66,  and 
for  1671,  p.  17:  also  Cusick,  pp.  20,  22,  24,  34.  For  Juskeha,  see  the 
j\V/a/w«  for  1635,  p.  34  ;  1636,  pp.  101-103  ;  1640,  p.  92.  Lalitau  in  one 
place  makes  Tharonhiawagon  a  deifietl  man,  and  in  another  the  grandson 
of  Ataensic. — Mixurs  des  Sauvages  Ameriquains,\'o\.  I,  p.  146  and  p.  244. 


ff 


1 


fr 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Historical  Traditions. 

After  the  declaration  of  the  laws  of  the  League,  there 
follows  a  passage  of  great  historical  importance.  The  speaker 
recites  the  names  of  the  chiefs  who  represented  the  Five 
Nations  in  the  conference  by  which  the  work  of  devising  their 
laws  and  establishing  their  government  was  accomplished. 
The  native  name  of  the  confederacy  is  here  for  the  first  time 
mentioned.  In  the  guttural  and  rather  irregular  orthography 
of  the  Book  it  is  spelt  Kanonghsyotiny.  The  Roman  Catholic 
missionaries,  neglecting  the  aspirate,  which  in  the  Iroquois 
pronunciation  appears  and  disappears  as  capriciously  as  in  the 
spoken  dialects  of  the  south  of  England,  write  the  word 
Kanonsionni.  It  is  usually  rendered  by  interpreters  the 
"  Long  House,"  but  this  is  not  precisely  its  meaning.  The 
ordinary  word  for  "long  house  "  is  kanonses  or  kanonsis, — 
the  termination  es  or  is  being  the  adjective  suffix  which 
signifies  long.  Kanonsionni  is  a  compound  word,  formed  of 
kanonsa,  house,  and  ionni,  extended,  or  drawn  out.  The 
confederacy  was  compared  to  a  dwelling  which  was  extended 
by  additions  made  to  the  end,  in  the  manner  in  which  their 
bark-built  houses  were  lengthened, — sometimes  to  an  extent 
exceeding  two  hundred  feet.  When  the  number  of  families 
inhabiting  these  long  dwellings  was  increased  by  marriage  or 
adoption,  and  a  new  hearth  was  required,  the  end-wall, — if 
this  term  may  be  applied  to  the  slight  frame  of  poles  and  bark 
which  closed  the  house, — was  removed,  an  addition  of  the 
required  size  was  made  to  the  edifice,  and  the  closing  wall 
was  restored.  Such  was  the  figure  by  which  the  founders  of 
the  confederacy  represented  their  political  structure,  a  figure 
which  was  in  itself  a  description  and  an  invitation.    It  declared 

75 


"V. 


76 


INTRODUCTION. 


that  the  united  nations  were  not  distinct  tribes,  associated  by 
a  temporary  league,  but  one  great  family,  clustered  for  con- 
venience about  separate  hearths  in  a  common  dwelling  ;  and 
it  proclaimed  their  readiness  to  receive  new  members  into  the 
general  household. ' 

The  names  of  the  six  great  chiefs  who,  as  representatives  of 
their  several  nations,  formed  the  confederacy,  are  in  this  nar- 
rative linked  together  in  a  manner  which  declares  their 
political  kinship.  The  first  rulers  or  heads  of  the  combined 
households  were  the  Canienga  Dekanawidah  with  his  "joint- 
ruler  "  and  political  son,  the  Oneida  Otatsehte  (or  Odad- 
sheghte),  whose  union  with  Dekanawidah  was  the  commence- 
ment of  the  League.  Next  follows  Otatsehte's  uncle  (and 
Dekanawidah' s  brother),  the  Onondaga  Wathadodarho  (Ato- 
tarho),  who  is  accompanied  by  his  son,  the  Cayuga  Akahenyonh. 
The  uncle  of  the  Cayuga  representative,  the  Seneca  chief 
Kanadariyu,  and  his  cousin,  Shadekaronyes,  represent  the 
two  sections  into  which  the  great  Seneca  nation  was  divided. 
The  name  of  Hiawatha  does  not  appear  in  this  enumeration. 
According  to  the  uniform  tradition  of  the  Five  Nations,  iie 
was  not  merely  present  in  the  convention,  but  was  the  leading 
spirit  in  its  deliberations.  But  he  did  not  officially  represent 
any  nation.  By  birth  a  high  chief  of  the  Onondagas,  he  had 
been  but  newly  adopted  among  the  Caniengas.  Each  of 
these  nations  had  entrusted  its  interests  to  its  own  most  influ- 
ential chief.  But  the  respect  with  which  Hiawatha  was 
regarded  is  indicated,  as  has  been  already  remarked,  by  his 
place  in  the  list  of  fifty  councillors,  with  whose  names  the 
Book  concludes.  Though  so  recently  received  among  the 
haughty  Caniengas,  whose  proud  and  jealous  temper  is  often 
noticed  by  the  missionaries  and  other   early  ol^servers,  his 

1  The  people  of  the  confederacy  were  known  as  Moiinoilsionni,  "  They 
of  the  Extended  House."  In  the  Seneca  dialect  this  was  altered  and 
abridged  to  Hotinofisofini,  the  fi  liavin;^  the  P^rencli  nasal  sound.  This 
word  is  written  by  Mr.  Morgan,  "  Ilodenosaunee." 


HISTORICAL   TRADITIONS. 


/  / 


name  is  placed  second  in  the  list  of  their  representatives, 
immediately  following  that  of  Tekarihoken,  the  chief  who 
stood  highest  in  titular  rank  among  the  nobles  of  the  Kanon- 
sionni,  and  whose  lineage  was  perhaps  derived  from  the  leader 
of  their  primitive  migrations. 

The  tradition  runs  that  when  the  political  frame  of  their 
confederacy  had  been  arranged  by  the  members  of  this  con- 
vention, and  the  number  of  senators  who  should  represent 
each  nation  in  the  federal  council  had  been  determined,  the 
six  delegates,  with  Hiawatha  and  some  other  advisers,  went 
through  all  the  nations,  selecting — doubtless  with  the  aid  of 
a  national  council  in  each  case — the  chiefs  who  were  to  con- 
stitute the  first  council.  In  designating  these, — or  rather, 
probably,  in  the  ceremonies  of  their  installation, — it  is  said 
that  some  peculiar  prerogative  was  conceded  to  the  Onon- 
dagas, — that  is,  to  Atotarho  and  his  attendant  chiefs.  It  was 
probably  given  as  a  mark  of  respect,  rather  than  as  conferring 
any  real  authority  ;  but  from  this  circumstance  the  Onondagas 
were  afterwards  known  in  the  council  by  the  title  of  "the 
nominators,"  The  word  is,  in  the  Canienga  dialect,  AV/Av//- 
nakehte, — in  Onondaga,  Hotiscnnakehte.  It  means  literally, 
"the  name-carriers," — as  if,  said  one  of  my  informants,  they 
bore  a  parcel  of  names  in  a  bag  slung  upon  the  back. 

Each  of  the  other  nations  had  also  its  peculiar  name  in  the 
Council,  distinct  from  the  mere  local  designation  by  whicli 
it  was  commonly  called.  Thus  the  Caniengas  had  for  their 
"  Council  name  "  the  term  Tehadirihokcn.  This  is  the  plural 
form  of  the  name  of  their  leading  chief,  Tekarihoken. 
Opinions  differ  much  among  the  Indians  as  to  the  meaning 
of  this  name.  Cusick,  the  Tuscarora  historian,  defines  it  "  a 
speech  divided,"  and  apparently  refers  it  to  the  division  of 
the  Irocpiois  language  into  dialects.  Chief  George  Johnson, 
the  interpreter,  rendered  it  "two  statements  together,"  or 
"two  pieces  of  news  together."  Another  native  informant 
thought  it  n-.eant  "one  word  in  two  divisions,"  while  a  third 


78 


INTRODUCTION. 


defined  it  as  meaning  "between  two  words."  The  root- 
word  of  tlie  name  is  the  Canienga  oritnva,  or  karihwa  (pro- 
perly karihoa),  which  is  defined  "thing,  affair,  speech, 
news."^  It  also  apparently  means  office  ;  thus  we  have  the 
derivatives ^i,'i?r///^///,  "to  give  some  charge  or  duty  to  some 
one,"  and  atrihont,  "  to  be  an  officer,  or  captain."  The 
nam^  is  in  the  peculiar  dual  or  rather  duplicative  form  which 
is  indicated  by  the  prefix  te  and  the  affix  ken  or  ke.  It  may 
possibly,  therefore,  mean  "holding  two  offices,"  and  would 
thus  be  specially  applicable  to  the  great  Canienga  noble,  who, 
unlike  most  of  his  order,  was  both  a  civil  ruler  and  a  war- 
chief.  But  whether  he  gave  his  name  to  his  people,  or 
received  it  from  ihem,  is  uncertain.  In  other  instances  the 
Council  name  of  a  nation  appears  to  have  been  applied  in  the 
singular  number  to  the  leading  chief  of  the  nation.  Thus 
the  head-chief  of  the  Onondagas  was  often  known  by  the  title 
oi Sakosennakchte,  "the  Name-carrier."^ 

The  name  of  the  Oneida  nation  in  the  Council  was  Niha- 
tirontakoii'a — or,  in  the  Onondaga  dialect,  NiJiaticntakona — 
usually  rendered  the  "  Great-Tree  People," — literally,  "  those 
of  the  great  log."  It  is  derived  t'rom  karonta,  a  fallen 
tree,  or  piece  of  timber,  w'.th  the  suffix  kowa  or  kona,  great, 
added,  and  the  verb-fon.iing  pronoun  prefixed.  In  the 
singular  number  it  becomf.s  N'iliarontakinva,  which  would  be 
understood  to  mean  "He  is  an  Oneida."  The  name,  it  is 
said,  was  given  to  the  nation  because  when  Dekanawidah 
and  Hiawatha  first  went  to  meet  its  chief,  they  crossed  the 

1  See  IJruyas,  sub  voce  Garihoa.  Mr.  Morgan  [League  of  the  Iroquois, 
p.  97),  who  ilerived  his  information  from  the  .Senecas,  says  that  ihc  name 
"  was  a  term  of  respect,  and  signifies  '  neutral,'  or,  as  it  may  be  rendered, 
tiie  sliield."     lie  adds,  "  its  origin  is  lost  in  obscurity." 

'  "  II  y  avail  en  cette  ijande  un  Capitaine  qui  porte  le  nom  le  plus  con- 
sideral)le  de  toute  sa  Nation,  Sagochienrlagchtc." — Relation  of  1654,  p.  8. 
Elsewhere,  as  in  the  Relation  for  1657,  p.  17,  this  name  is  spelt  Ago- 
chiendaguete. 


HISTORICAL    TRADTIONS. 


79 


Oneida  creek  on  a  bridge  composed  of  an  immense  tree  which 
had  fallen  or  been  laid  across  it,  and  noted  that  the  Council 
fire  at  which  the  treaty  was  concluded  was  kindled  against 
another  huge  log.  These,  however,  may  be  merely  explana- 
tions invented  in  later  times. 

The  Cayugas  bore  in  Council  the  name  o{  Sotinonnawentona, 
meaning  "  the  Great- Pipe  People."  In  the  singular  it  is 
Sononnaweiitona.  The  root  of  the  word  is  kanonnaweil,  which 
in  composition  becomes  kanotnimiienta,  meaning  pipe,  or 
calumet.  It  is  said  that  the  chief  who  in  the  first  Council 
represented  the  Cayugas  smoked  a  jjipe  of  unusual  size,  which 
attracted  the  notice  of  the  "  name-givers." 

Finally  the  Seneca  mountaineers,  the  Soiuwntowanas,  bore 
the  title,  in  the  Canienga  speech,  of  Ronaninhohonti,  "the 
Door-keepers,"  or  literally,  "they  who  are  at  the  doorway." 
In  the  singular  this  becomes  Roninhohonti.  In  the  Onondaga 
dialect  it  is  Honinhohonta.  It  is  a  verbal  form,  derived  from 
Kanhoha,  door,  and  out,  to  be.  This  nani o  is  undoubtedly 
coeval  with  the  formation  of  the  League,  and  was  bestowed  as 
a  title  of  honor.  The  Senecas,  at  the  western  end  of  the 
"extended  mansion,"  guarded  the  entrance  against  the  wild 
tribes  in  that  quarter,  whose  hostility  was  most  to  be  dreaded. 

The  enumeration  of  the  chiefs  who  formed  the  confederacy 
is  closed  by  the  significant  words,  "  and  then,  in  later  times, 
additions  were  made  to  the  great  edifice."  This  is  sufficient 
evidence  that  the  Canienga  "  Book  of  Rites  "  was  composed 
in  its  present  form  after  the  Tuscaroras,  and  possibly  after 
the  Nanticokes  and  Tuteloes,  were  received  into  the  League. 
The  Tuscaroras  were  admitted  in  1 7 14 ;  the  two  oiuer  nations 
were  received  about  the  year  1753.' 

An  outburst  of  lamentation  follows.  The  speaker  has 
recited  the  names  of  the  heroes  and  statesmen  to  whom  the 
united  nations  were  indebted  for  tlie  Great  Peace  which  had 

'  The  former  date  is  well  known;  for  the  latter,  see  N.  Y.  Hist.  CoL, 
Vul.  6,  p.  311  ;  Stone's  Life  of  Sir  William  Johnsor),  p.  434. 


•-^  w-^ *.-.*. ->**—**.  •v.ri-*^  *-i*'*«Ti-*-*<",'*'*'S'^crtt.i?\v-^»f^* 


-  >i » !■«»■<»  ,Ttr»i<»i«i  n»w 


80 


INTRODUCTION. 


so  long  prevailed  among  them.  He  has  recalled  the  wise 
laws  which  they  established ;  and  he  is  about  to  chant  the 
closing  litany,  commemorating  the  fifty  chiefs  who  composed 
the  first  federal  council,  and  whose  names  have  remained  as 
the  official  titles  of  their  successors.  In  recalling  these 
memories  of  departed  greatness  his  mind  is  filled  with  grief 
and  humiliation  at  the  contrast  presented  by  the  degeneracy 
of  his  own  days.  It  is  a  common  complaint  of  all  countries 
and  all  times;  but  the  sentiment  was  always,  according  to  the 
missionaries,  especially  strong  among  the  Indians,  who  are  a 
conservative  race.  The  orator  appeals  to  the  shades  of  their 
ancestors,  in  words  which,  in  the  baldest  of  literal  versions,  are 
full  of  eloquence  and  pathos.  The  "  great  law"  has  become 
old,  and  has  lost  its  force.  Its  authors  have  passed  away,  and 
have  carried  it  with  them  into  their  graves.  They  have 
placed  it  as  a  pillow  under  their  heads.  Their  degenerate 
successors  have  inherited  their  names,  but  not  their  mighty 
intellects ;  and  in  the  flourishing  region  which  they  left, 
nought  biit  a  desert  remains.  A  trace,  and  not  a  slight  one, 
of  the  mournful  sublimity  which  we  admire  in  the  Hebrew 
prophets,  with  a  similar  cadence  of  "parallelism"  in  the 
style,  will  be  noticed  in  this  forest  lanient. 

The  same  characteristics  mark  the  chanted  litany  which 
closes  the  address.  There  is  not  merely  parallelism  and 
cadence,  but  occasionally  rhyme,  in  the  stanzas  which  are 
interspersed  among  the  names,  as  is  seen  in  the  oft-repeated 
chorus  which  follows  the  names  composing  each  clan  or 
"class"  :— 

Etlio  nafrjoiihne, 

Sewate7-ihwakhaonghk7i<c, 

Sewarihwisaaiiotighkive, 

Kayaiierenhkoiva .  * 

This  litany   is  sung   in   the  usual  style  of  their  mourning  or 

religious  chants,  with  many  long-drawn  repetitions  of  the  cus- 

1  For  the  translation,  see  ante,  p.  33. 


HISTORICAL   TRADITIONS. 


81 


tomary  ejaculation  haihhaih, — an  exclamation  which,  like  the 
Greek"'/:'!  a;'!"  belongs  to  the  wailing  style  appropriate 
to  such  a  monody.  The  expressions  of  the  chant,  like  those 
of  a  Greek  chorus,  are  abrupt,  elliptical,  and  occasionally 
obscure.  It  is  probable  that  this  chant,  like  the  condoling 
Hymn  in  the  former  part  of  the  Book,  is  of  earlier  style  than 
the  other  portions  of  the  work,  their  rhythmical  form  having 
preserved  the  original  words  with  greater  accuracy.  Such 
explanations  of  the  doubtful  passages  as  could  be  obtained 
from  the  chiefs  and  the  interpreters  will  be  found  in  the 
notes. 

The  chant  and  the  Book  end  abruptly  with  the  mournful 
exclamation,  "  Now  we  are  dejected  in  mind."  The  lament 
which  precedes  the  litany,  and  which  is  interrupted  by  it,  may 
be  said  to  close  with  these  words.  As  the  council  is  held, 
nominally  at  least,  for  the  purpose  of  condolence,  and  as  it 
necessarily  revives  the  memory  of  the  departed  worthies  of 
their  republic,  it  is  natural  that  the  ceremonies  throughout 
should  be  of  a  melancholy  cast.  They  were  doubtless  so  from 
the  beginning,  and  before  there  was  any  occasion  to  deplore 
the  decay  of  their  commonwealth  or  the  degeneracy  of  the  age. 
In  fact,  when  we  consider  that  the  founders  of  the  League, 
with  remarkable  skill  and  judgment,  managed  to  compress 
into  a  single  day  the  protracted  and  wasteful  obsequies 
customary  among  other  tribes  of  the  same  race,  we  shall  not 
be  surprised  to  find  that  they  sought  to  make  the  ceremonies 
of  the  day  as  solemn  and  impressive  as  possible. 

But  there  are  other  characteristics  of  the  "  Book  of  Rites," 
prominent  in  the  Canienga  section,  and  still  more  marked  in 
the  Onondaga  portion,  which  may  well  excite  our  astonish- 
ment. They  have  been  already  noticed,  but  seem  to  deserve 
fuller  consideration.  It  will  be  observed  that,  from  begin- 
ning to  end,  the  Book  breathes  nothing  but  sentiments  of 
kindness  and  sympathy  for  the  living,  and  of  reverence  for 
the  departed, — not  merely  for  the  chief  whom  they  have  come 


Qul£.'' 


i'„. 


iitia'v— tr-gf 


ammm 


wmmm 


( 


t.    i 


(I    !i 


82 


INTRODUCTION. 


to  mourn,  but  also  for  the  great  men  who  have  preceded 
him,  and  especially  for  the  founders  of  their  commonwealth. 
Combined  with  these  sentiments,  and  harmonizing  with  them, 
is  an  earnest  desire  for  peace,  along  with  a  profound  respect 
for  the  laws  under  which  they  lived.  The  work  in  which 
these  feelings  are  expressed  is  a  genuine  composition  of  the 
Indians  themselves,  framed  long  before  they  were  affected  by 
any  influences  from  abroad,  and  repeated  among  them  for 
centuries,  with  the  entire  assent  of  the  hearers.  It  affords 
unquestionable  evidence  of  the  true  character  both  of  those 
who  composed  and  of  those  who  received  it. 


•^-^it.t^:  ^V'.'-V. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


The  Iroquois  Character. 

The  popular  opinion  of  the  Indian,  and  more  especially  of 
the  Iro(iuois,  who,  as  Mr.  Parkman  well  observes,  is  an  "Indian 
of  the  Indians,"  represents  him  as  a  sanguinary,  treacherous 
and  vindictive  being,  somewhat  cold  in  his  affections,  haughty 
and  reserved  toward  his  friends,  merciless  to  his  enemies, 
fond  of  strife,  and  averse  to  industry  and  the  pursuits  of 
peace.  Some  magnanimous  traits  are  occasionally  allowed 
to  him ;  and  poetry  and  romance  have  sometimes  thrown  a 
glamour  about  his  character,  which  popular  opinion,  not 
without  reason,  energetically  repudiates  and  resents.  The 
truth  is  that  the  circumstances  under  which  the  red  and  white 
races  have  encountered  in  North  America  have  been  such  as 
necessarily  to  give  rise  to  a  wholly  false  impression  in  regard 
to  the  character  of  the  aborigines.  The  European  colonists, 
superior  in  civilization  and  in  the  arts  of  war,  landed  on  the 
coast  with  the  deliberate  intention  of  taking  possession  of  the 
country  and  displacing  the  natives.  The  Indians  were  at 
once  thrown  on  tlie  defensive.  From  the  very  beginning 
they  fought,  not  merely  for  their  land,  but  for  their  lives  ;  for 
it  was  from  their  land  that  they  drew  the  means  of  living. 
All  wars  between  the  whites  and  the  Indians,  whatever  the 
color  or  pretence  on  either  side,  have  been  on  both  sides 
wars  of  extermination.  They  have  been  carried  on  as  such 
wars  always  have  been  and  always  will  be  carried  on.  On 
the  side  of  the  stronger  there  have  been  constant  encroach- 
ments, effected  now  by  menace  and  now  by  cajolery,  but 
always  prefaced  by  the  display  and  the  insolence  of  superior 
power.  On  the  side  of  the  weaker  there  have  been  alternations 
of  sullen  acquiescence  and  of  fierce  and   fruitless  resistance. 

83 


"mmmmmmf^mHrn 


■»ii«i<r  -"-Mn  mtkht  ^aifffi''  lynL  ^nnwiii  mmqtwm 


b 


/ 


84 


INTRODUCTION. 


/     i 


It  is  not  surprising  that  under  such  circumstances  the  charac- 
ter of  each  party  has  been  presented  to  the  otlier  in  the  most 
forbidding  light. 

The  Indians  must  be  judged,  like  every  other  people,  not 
by  the  traits  which  they  display  in  the  fury  of  a  desperate 
warfare,  but  by  their  ordinary  demeanor  in  time  of  peace, 
and  especially  by  the  character  of  their  social  and  domestic 
life.  On  this  point  the  testimony  of  missionaries  and  of 
other  competent  observers  who  have  lived  among  them  is 
uniform.  At  home  the  Indians  are  the  most  kindly  and 
generous  of  men.  Constant  good  humor,  unfailing  courtesy, 
ready  sympathy  with  distress,  and  a  truly  lavish  liberality, 
mark  their  intercourse  with  one  another.  The  Jesuit  mis- 
sionaries among  the  Hurons  knew  them  before  intercourse 
with  the  whites  and  the  use  of  ardent  spirits  had  embittered 
and  debased  them.  The  testimony  which,  they  have  left  on 
record  is  very  remarkable.  The  missionary  Brebeuf,  protest- 
ing against  the  ignorant  prejudice  which  would  jjlace  the 
Indians,  on  a  level  with  the  brutes,  gives  the  result  of  his 
observ'ation  in  emphatic  terms.  "  In  my  opinion,"  he 
writes,  "it  is  no  small  matter  to  say  of  them  that  they  live 
united  in  tovvns,  sometimes  of  fifty,  sixty,  or  a  hundred 
dwellings,  that  is,  of  three  or  four  hundred  households ;  that 
they  cultivate  the  fields,  from  which  they  derive  their  food 
for  the  whole  year  ;  and  that  they  maintain  peace  and  friend- 
ship with  one  another."  He  doubts  "if  there  is  another 
nation  under  heaven  more  commendable  in  this  respect" 
than  the  Huron  "nation  of  the  Bear,"  among  whom  he 
resided.  "They  have,"  he  declares,  "a  gentleness  and  an 
affability  almost  incredible  for  barbarians."  They  keep  up 
"this  perfect  goodwill,"  as  he  terms  it,  "by  frequent  visits, 
by  the  aid  which  they  give  one  another  in  sickness,  and  by 
their  festivals  and  social  gatherings,  whenever  they  are  not 
occupied  by  their  fields  and  fisheries,  or  in  hunting  or  trade." 
"  They  are,"  he  continues,  "  less  in  their  own  cabins  than  in 


A  »-•.  t»..-*»*   *-* 


•  aaEKaBgiiEg" 


/ 


THE    IROQUOIS    CHARACTER. 


85 


those   of  their   friends.     If  any   one    falls   sick,  and    wants  • 
something  which   may  benefit  him,   everybody  is   eager  to 
furnish  it.     Whenever  one  of  them  has  something  specially 
good  to  eat,  he  invites  his  friends  and  makes  a  feast.     Indeed, 
they  hardly  ever  eat  alone."  ^ 

The  Iroquois,  who  had  seemed  little  better  than  demons  to 
the  missionaries  while  they  knew  them  only  as  enemies  to  the 
French  or  their  Huron  allies,  astonished  them,  on  a  nearer 
acquaintance,  by  the  development  of  similar  traits  of  natural 
goodness.  "You  will  find  in  them,"  declares  one  of  these 
fair-minded  and  cultivated  observers,  "virtues  which  might 
well  put  to  l)lush  the  majority  of  Christians.  There  is  no 
need  of  hospitals  among  them,  because  there  are  no  beggars 
among  them,  and  indeed,  none  who  are  poor,  so  long  as  any 
of  them  are  rich.  Their  kindness,  humanity  and  courtesy 
not  merely  make  tliem  liberal  in  giving,  but  almost  lead  them 
to  live  as  though  everything  they  possess  were  held  in  common. 
No  one  can  want  food  while  there  is  corn  anywhere  in  the 
town."  It  is  true  that  the  missionaries  often  accuse  the  Iro- 
quois of  cruelty  and  perfidy  ;  but  the  narrative  shows  that 
these  (pialities  were  only  displayed  in  their  wars,  and  appa- 
rently only  against  enemies  whose  cruehy  and  perfidy  they 
had  experienced. 

We  can  now  see  that  the  plan  of  universal  federation  and 
general  peace  which  Hiawatha  devised  had  nothing  in  itself 
so  surprising  as  to  excite  our  incredulity.  It  was,  indeed, 
entirely  in  accordance  with  the  genius  of  his  people.  Its 
essence  was  the  extension  to  all  nations  of  the  methods  of 
social  and  civil  life  which  prevailed  in  his  own  nation.  If 
the  people  of  a  town  of  four  hundred  families  could  live 
in  constant  "peace  and  friendship,"  wliy  should  not  all  the 
tribes  of  men  dwell  together  in  the  same  manner  ?  The  idea 
is  one  which  might  readily  have  occurred  to  any  man  of 
benevolent  feelings  and  thoughtful  temperament.  The  pro- 
1  Rehilion  for  1636,  p.  117. 


86 


INTRODUCTION. 


i  I 


m 


I ' 


1'  I 


ject  in  itself  is  not  so  remarkable  as  the  energy  and  skill  with 
which  it  was  carried  into  effect.  It  is  deserving  of  notice, 
however,  that  according  -to  the  Indian  tradition,  Hiawatha 
was  impelled  to  action  mainly  by  experience  of  the  mischiefs 
which  were  caused  in  his  own  nation  through  a  departure 
from  their  ordinary  system  of  social  life.  The  missionaries, 
in  describing  the  general  harmony  which  prevailed  among 
the  Hurons,  admit  that  it  was  sometimes  disturbed.  There 
wore  "bad  spirits"  among  them,  as  everywhere  else,  who 
could  not  always  be  controlled.'  Atotarho,  among  the 
Onondagas,  was  one  of  these  bad  spirits  ;  and  in  his  case, 
unfortunately,  an  evil  disposition  was  reinforced  by  a  keen 
intellect  and  a  powerful  will.  His  history  for  a  time  offered 
a  rare  instance  of  something  approaching  to  despotism,  or  the 
Greek  "tyranny,"  exercised  in  an  Indian  tribe.  A  fact 
so  strange,  and  conduct  so  extraordinary,  seemed  in  after- 
times  to  require  explanation.  A  legend  is  preserved  among 
the  Onondagas,  which  was  apparently  devised  to  account  for 
a  prodigy  so  far  out  of  the  common  order  of  events.  I  give 
it  in  the  words  in  which  it  is  recorded  in  my  journal.^ 

"Another  legend,  of  which  I  have  not  before  heard,  pro- 
fessed to  give  the  origin  both  of  the  abnormal  ferocity  and  of 
the  preterhuman  powers  of  Atotarho.  He  was  already  noted 
as  a  chief  and  a  warrior,  when  he  had  the  misfortune  to  kill 
a  peculiar  bird,  resembling  a  sea-gull,  which  is  reputed  to 
possess  poisonous  qualities  of  singular  virulence.  By  his  con- 
tact with  the  dead  bird  his  mind  was  affected.  He  became 
morose  and  cruel,  and  at  the  same  time  obtained  the  power 
of  destroying  men  and  other  creatures  at  a  distance.  Three 
sons  of  Hiawatha  were  among  his  victims.     He  attended  the 

^Relation  of  r6j6,  p.  ii8:  "  Ostez  quelqiies  niauvais  esprits,  qui  se 
rencontrent  quasi  jjartout,"  etc. 

^  Tiiis  story  was  related  to  me  in  March,  18S2,  hy  my  intelligent  friend, 
Chief  John  Buck,  who  was  inclined  to  give  it  credence, — sharing  in  this, 
as  in  other  things,  the  sentiments  of  the  best  among  his  people. 


THE    IROQUOIS   CHARACTER. 


87 


Councils  which  were  held,  and  made  confusion  in  them,  and 
brought  all  the  people  into  disturbance  and  terror.  His 
bodily  appearance  was  changed  at  the  same  time,  and  his 
aspect  became  so  terrible  that  the  story  spread,  and  was 
believed,  that  his  head  was  encircled  by  living  snakes." 

The  only  importance  of  this  story  is  in  the  evidence  it 
affords  that  conduct  so  anti-social  as  that  of  Atotarho  was 
deemed  to  be  the  result  of  a  disordered  mind.  In  his  case, 
as  in  that  of  the  Scottish  tyrant  and  murderer,  "  the  insane 
root  that  took  the  reason  prisoner,"  was  doubtless  an  un- 
bridled ambition.  It  is  interesting  to  remark  that  even  his 
fierce  temper  and  determined  will  were  forced  to  yield  at  last 
to  the  pressure  of  public  opinion,  which  compelled  him  to 
range  himself  on  the  side  of  peace  and  union.  In  the  whim- 
sical imagery  of  the  narrative,  which  some  of  the  story-tellers, 
after  their  usual  fashion,  have  converted  from  a  metaphor 
to  a  fact,  Hiawatha  "combed  the  snakes  out  of  the  head  "  of 
his  great  antagonist,  and  presented  him  to  the  Council 
changed  and  restored  to  his  right  mind. 


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CHAPTER  IX. 
The   Iro(juois  Policy. 

Few  popular  notions,  it  may  be  affirmed,  are  so  far  from 
the  truth  as  that  which  makes  the  Iroquois  a  band  of  treacher- 
ous and  ferocious  ravagers,  whose  career  was  marked  every- 
where by  cruelty  and  devastation.  The  clear  and  positive 
evidence  of  historical  facts  leads  to  a  widely  different  con- 
clusion. It  is  not  going  too  fir  to  assert  that  among  all  ini- 
civilized  races  the  Iroquois  have  shown  themselves  to  be  the 
most  faithful  of  allies,  the  most  placable  of  enemies,  and  the 
most  clement  of  conipierors.  It  will  be  proper,  in  justice  to 
them,  as  well  as  in  the  interest  of  political  and  social  science, 
to  present  briefly  the  principles  and  methods  which  guided 
them  in  their  intercourse  with  other  communities.  Their 
system,  as  finally  developed,  comi)rised  four  distinct  forms  of 
connection  with  other  nations,  all  tending  directly  to  the 
establishment  of  universal  peace. 

I.  As  has  been  already  said,  the  primary  object  of  the 
founders  of  their  I.engue  was  the  creation  of  a  confederacy 
which  should  comprise  all  the  nations  and  tribes  of  men  that 
were  known  to  them.  Experience,  however,  quickly  showed 
that  this  project,  admirable  in  idea,  was  impossible  of  execu- 
tion. Distance,  differences  of  language,  and  difficulties  of 
communication,  presented  obstacles  which  could  not  be  over- 
come. 13ut  the  i)lan  was  kept  in  view  as  one  of  the  cardinal 
principles  of  their  policy.  They  were  always  eager  to  receive 
new  members  into  their  League.  The  Tuscaroras,  the  Nanti- 
cokes,  the  Tuteloes,  and  a  band  of  the  Delawares,  were  thus 
successively  admitted,  and  all  of  them  still  retain  representa- 
tives in  the  Council  of  the  Canadian  branch  of  the  confede- 
racy. 

88 


THE    IROQUOIS    POLICY, 


89 


2.  When  this  complete  political  union  could  not  be  achieved, 
the  Iro(juois  sought  to  accomplish  the  same  end,  as  far  as  pos- 
sible, by  a  treaty  of  alliance.  Two  notable  examples  will  show 
how  earnestly  this  purpose  was  pursued,  and  how  firmly  it 
was  maintained.  When  the  Dutch  established  their  trading 
settlements  on  the  Hudson  River,  one  of  their  first  proceedings 
was  to  send  an  embassy  to  the  Five  Nations,  with  proposals 
for  a  treaty.  The  overture  was  promptly  accepted.  A  strict 
alliance  was  formed,  and  was  ratified  in  the  usual  manner  by 
an  exchange  of  wampum  belts.  When  the  English  took  the 
place  of  the  Dutch,  the  treaty  was  renewed  with  them,  and 
was  confirmed  in  the  same  manner.  The  wampum-belts  then 
received  by  the  Confederates  are  still  preserved  on  their  Can- 
adian Reservation,  and  are  still  brought  forth  and  ex[)ounded 
by  the  older  chiefs  to  the  younger  generation,  in  their  great 
Councils.  History  records  with  what  unbroken  faith,  through 
many  changes,  and  despite  many  provocations  from  their 
allies  and  many  enticements  from  the  French  rulers  and 
missionaries,  this  alliance  was  maintained  to  the  last. 

If  it  be  suggested  that  this  fidelity  was  strengthened  by 
motives  of  policy,  the  same  cannot  be  affirmed  of  the  alliance 
with  the  Ojibways,  which  dates  from  a  still  earlier  period. 
The  annalists  of  the  Kanonsionni  affirm  that  their  first  treaty 
with  this  wide-spread  people  of  the  northwest  was  made  soon 
after  the  formation  of  their  League,  and  that  it  was  strictly 
maintained  on  both  sides  for  more  than  two  hundred  years. 
The  Ojibways  then  occupied  both  shores  of  Lake  Superior, 
and  the  northern  part  of  the  peninsula  of  Michigan.  The 
point  at  which  they  came  ciuefly  in  contact  with  the  adven- 
turous Irocpiois  voyagers  was  at  the  great  fishing  station  of  St. 
Mary's  Falls,  on  the  strait  which  unites  Lake  Sui)erior  with 
Lake  Huron  ;  and  here,  it  is  believed,  the  first  alliance  was 
consummated.  After  more  than  two  centuries  had  elapsed,  the 
broken  bands  of  the  defeated  Hurons,  fleeing  from  their 
ravaged  homes  on  the  Georgian  Bay,  took  refuge  among  the 
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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

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90 


INTRODUCTION. 


'■  I 'I 


Ojibways,  with  whom  they,  too,  had  always  maintained  a 
friendly  understanding.  Their  presence  and  the  story  of 
their  sufferings  naturally  awakened  the  sympathy  of  their 
hosts.  The  rapid  spread  of  the  Iroquois  empire  created 
alarm.  A  great  agitation  ensued  among  the  far-dispers<-J 
bands  of  the  Ojibway  name.  Occasional  meetings  between 
hunting-parties  of  the  younger  warriors  of  the  two  peoples, — 
the  Iroquois  arrogant  in  the  consciousness  of  their  recent 
conquests,  the  Ojibways  sullen  and  suspicious, — led  to  bitter 
words,  and  sometimes  to  actual  strife.  On  two  occasions 
several  Ojibwoy  warriors  were  slain,  under  what  provocation 
is  uncertain.  But  the  reparation  demanded  by  the  Ojibway 
chiefs  was  promptly  conceded  by  the  Iroquois  Council. 
The  amplest  apology  was  made,  and  for  every  slain  warrior 
a  pack  of  furs  was  delivered.  The  ancient  treaty  was  at  the 
same  time  renewed,  with  every  formality.  Nothing  could 
more  clearly  show  the  anxiety  of  the  Iroquois  rulers  to  main- 
tain their  national  faith  than  this  apology  and  reparation, 
so  readily  made  by  them,  at  the  time  when  their  people  were 
at  the  height  of  their  power  and  in  the  full  flush  of  conquest.  * 
These  efforts,  however,  to  prescve  the  ancient  amity  proved 
unavailing.  Through  whose  fault  it  was  that  the  final  out- 
break occurred  is  a  question  on  which  the  annalistf,  of  the  two 
parties  differ.  But  the  events  just  recounted,  and,  indeed,  all 
the  circumstances,  speak  strongly  in  favor  of  the  Iroquois. 
They  had  shown  their  anxiety  to  maintain  the  peace,  and 
they  had  nothing  to  gain  by  war.  The  bleak  northern  home 
of  the  Ojibways  offered  no  temptation  to  the  most  greedy 
conqueror.  To  the  Ojibways,  on  the  other  hand,  the  broad 
expanse  of  western  Canada,  now  lying  deserted,  and  stretching 

•  The  Ojibway  historian,  Copway,  in  his  "  Traditional  History  of  the 
Ojibway  Nation"  (p.  84),  gives  the  particulars  of  this  event,  as  preserved 
by  the  Ojibways  themselves.  Even  t  strong  national  prejudice  of  the 
narrator,  which  has  evidently  colored  his  statement,  leaves  the  evidence  of 
the  magnanimity  anc*  prudence  of  the  Iroquois  elders  clearly  apparent. 


THE    IROQUOIS   POLICY. 


91 


before  them  its  wealth  of  forests  full  of  deer,  its  lakes  and 
rivers  swarming  with  fish,  its  lovely  glades  and  fertile  plains, 
where  the  corn  harvests  of  the  Hurons  and  Neutrals  had  lately 
glistened,  were  an  allurement  which  they  could  not  resist. 
They  assumed  at  once  the  wrongs  and  the  territories  of  their 
exiled  Huron  friends,  and  plunged  into  the  long-meditated 
strife  with  their  ancient  allies.  The  contest  was  desperate  and 
destructive.  Many  sanguinary  battles  took  place,  and  great 
numbers  of  warriors  fell  on  both  sides.  On  the  whole  the 
balance  inclined  against  the  Iroquois.  In  this  war  they  were 
a  southern  people,  contending  against  a  hardier  race  from  the 
far  north.  They  fought  at  a  distance  from  their  homes,  while 
the  Ojibways,  migrating  in  bands,  pitched  their  habitations 
in  the  disputed  region. 

Finally,  both  sides  became  weary  of  the  strife.  Old 
sentiments  of  fellowship  revived.  Peace  was  declared, 
and  a  new  treaty  was  made.  The  territory  for  which  they 
had  fought  was  divided  between  them.  The  southwestern 
portion,  which  had  been  the  home  of  the  Attiwandaronks, 
remained  as  the  hunting-ground  of  the  Iroquois.  North  and 
east  of  this  section  the  Ojibways  possessed  the  land.  The  new 
treaty,  confirmed  by  the  exchange  of  wampum-belts  and  by 
a  peculiar  interlocking  of  the  right  arms,  which  has  ever  since 
been  the  special  sign  of  amity  between  the  Iroquois  and  the 
Ojibways,  was  understood  to  make  them  not  merely  allies  but 
brothers.  As  the  symbol  on  one  of  the  belts  which  is  still 
preserved  indicates,  they  were  to  be  as  relatives  who  are  so 
nearly  akin  that  they  eat  from  the  same  dish.  This  treaty, 
made  two  centuries  trgo,  has  ever  since  been  religiously  main- 
tained. Its  effects  aie  felt  to  this  day.  Less  than  forty  years 
ago  a  band  of  the  Ojibways,  the  Missisagas,  forced  to  relinquish 
their  reserved  lands  on  the  River  Credit,  sought  a  refuge  with 
the  Iroquois  of  the  Grand  River  Reservation.  They  appealed 
to  this  treaty,  and  to  the  evidence  of  the  wampum-belts. 
Their  appeal  was  effectual.     A  large  tract  of  valuable  land 


mmm 


92 


INTRODUCTION. 


\   I 


was  granted  to  them  by  the  Six  Nations.  Here,  maintaining 
their  distinct  tribal  organization,  they  still  reside,  a  living 
evidence  of  the  constancy  and  liberality  with  which  the 
Iroquois  uphold  their  treaty  obligations. 

3.  When  a  neighboring  people  would  neither  join  the  con- 
federacy nor  enter  into  a  treaty  of  alliance  with  it,  the  almost 
inevitable  result  would  be,  sooner  or  later,  a  deadly  war. 
Among  the  nomadic  or  unsettled  Indian  tribes,  especially  the 
Algonkins  and  Sioux,  the  young  men  are  expected  to  display 
their  bravery  by  taking  scalps;  and  a  race  of  farmers,  h  .nters, 
and  fishermen,  like  the  Iroquois,  would  be  tempting  victims. 
Before  the  confederacy  was  formed,  some  of  its  members, 
particularly  the  Caniengas  and  Oneidas,  had  suffered  greatly 
from  wars  with  the  wilder  tribes  about  them.  The  new 
strength  derived  from  the  League  enabled  them  to  turn  the 
tables  upon  their  adversaries.  But  they  made  a  magnanimous 
use  of  their  superiority.  An  enemy  who  submitted  was  at 
once  spared.  When  the  great  Delaware  nation,  the  Lenapes, 
known  as  the  head  of  the  Algonkin  stock,  yielded  to  the  arms 
of  the  Kanonsionni,  they  were  allowed  to  retain  their  terri- 
tory and  nearly  all  their  property.  They  were  simply  re- 
quired to  acknowledge  themselves  the  subjects  of  the  Iroquois, 
to  pay  a  moderate  tribute  in  wampum  and  furs,  and  to  refrain 
thenceforth  from  taking  any  part  in  war.  In  the  expressive 
Indian  phrase,  they  were  "  made  women."  This  phrase  did 
not  even  imply,  according  to  Iroquois  ideas,  any  serious 
humiliation  ;  for  among  them,  as  the  French  missionaries  tell 
us,  women  had  much  authority.^  Their  special  office  in  war 
was  that  of  peace-makers.  It  was  deemed  to  be  their  right 
and  duty,  wlien  in  their  opinion  the  strife  had  lasted  long 
enough,  to  interfere  and  bring  about  a  reconciliation.  The 
knowledge  of  this  fact  led  the  Lenapes,  in  aftertimes,  to  put 
forward  a  whimsical  claim  to  dignity,  which  was  accepted  by 

1  "  I.es  femmes  ayant  beaucoup  d'autoritd  parmi  ces  peuples,  leur  vertu 
y  fait  d'autant  plus  de  fruit  qu'autre  part." — Relation  of  1657,  p.  48. 


THE    IROQUOIS    POLICY. 


93 


their   worthy  but  credulous  historian,  Heckewelder.     They 
asserted  that  while  their  nation  was  at  the  height  of  power, 
their  ancestors  were  persuaded  by  the  insidious  wiles  of  the 
Iroquois  to  lay  aside  their  arms,  for  the  purpose  of  assuming 
the  lofty  position  of  universal  mediators  and  arbiters  among 
the  Indian  nations. '     That  this  preposterous  story  should  have 
found  credence  is  surprising  enough.     A  single  fact  suffices  to 
disprove  it,  and  to  show  the  terms  on  which  the  Delawares  stood 
with  the  great  northern  confederacy.     Golden  has  preserved  for 
us  the  official  record  of  the  Council  which  was  held  in  Phila- 
delphia, in  July,  1742,  between  the  provincial  authorities  and 
the  deputies  of  the  Six  Nations,  headed  by  their  noted  orator 
and  statesman,  the  great  Onondaga  chief,  Canasatego.     The 
Delawares,  whose  claim  to  certain  lands  was  to  be  decided, 
attended  the  conference.     The  Onondaga  leader,  after  recit- 
ing the  evidence  which  had  been  laid  before  him  to  show 
that  these  lands  had  been  sold  to  the  colonists  by  the  Dela- 
wares, and  severely  rebuking  the  latter  for  their  breach  of 
faith  in  repudiating  the  bargain,    continued  :       "  But   how 
came  you  to  take  upon  you  to  sell  land  at  all  ?     We  con- 
quered you.     We  made  women  of  you.     You  know  you  are 
women,  and  can  no  more  sell  land  than  women.     Nor  is  it 
fit  that  you  should  have  the  power  of  selling  lands,  since  you 
would  abuse  it.     This  very  land  that  you  now  claim  has  been 
consumed  by  you.     You  have  had  it  in  meat  and  drink  and 
clothes,  and  now  you  want  it  again,  like  children,  as  you  are. 
But  what  makes  you  sell  land  in   the  dark  ?     Did  yoti  ever 
tell  us  that  you  had  sold  this  land  ?     Did  we  ever  receive 
any  part  of  the  price,  even    the  value  of  a  pipe-stem   from 
you?     You  have  told  us  a  blind  story — that  you  sent  a  mes- 
senger to  inform  us  of  the  sale  ;  but  he  never  came  among  us, 
nor  have  we  ever  heard  anything  about  it.     And  for  all  these 
reasons  we  charge  you  to  remove  instantly.     We  don't  give 
you  the    liberty    to  think    about  it.      We  assign   you    two 
'  Heckcweldcr's  History  of  the  Indian  Nations,  p.  56. 


94 


INTRODUCTION. 


places  to  go,  either  to  Wyoming  or  Shamokin.  You  may  go 
to  either  of  those  places,  and  then  we  shall  have  you  more 
under  our  eyes,  and  shall  see  how  you  behave.  Don't 
deliberate,  but  remove  away ;  and  take  this  belt  of  wampum. ' ' ' 

This  imperious  allocution,  such  as  a  Cinna  or  a  Cornelius 
might  have  delivered  to  a  crowd  of  trembling  and  sullen 
Greeks,  shows  plainly  enough  the  relation  in  which  the  two 
communities  stood  to  one  another.  It  proves  also  that  the 
rule  under  which  the  conquered  Delawares  were  held  was  any- 
thing but  oppressive.  They  seem  to  have  been  allowed  almost 
entire  freedom,  except  only  in  making  war  and  in  disposing  of 
their  lands  without  the  consent  of  the  Six  Nations.  In  fact, 
the  Iroquois,  in  dealing  with  them,  anticipated  the  very  reg- 
ulations which  the  enlightened  governments  of  the  United 
States  and  England  now  enforce  in  t'.iat  benevolent  treatment 
of  the  Indian  tribes  for  which  they  justly  claim  high  credit. 
Can  they  refuse  a  like  credit  to  their  dusky  predecessors  and 
exemplars,  or  deny  them  the  praise  of  being,  as  has  been 
already  said,  the  most  clement  of  conquerors  ? 

4.  Finally,  when  a  tribe  within  what  may  be  called  "strik- 
ing distance"  of  the  Confederacy  would  neither  join  the 
League,  nor  enter  into  an  alliance  with  its  members,  nor 
come  under  their  protection,  there  remained  nothing  but  a 
chronic  state  of  warfare,  which  destroyed  all  sense  ot  security 
and  comfort.  The  Iroquois  hunter,  fisherman,  or  trader,  re- 
turning home  after  a  brief  absence,  could  never  be  sure  that 
he  would  not  find  his  dwelling  a  heap  of  embers,  smouldering 
over  the  mangled  remains  of  his  wife  and  children.  The 
plainest  dictates  of  policy  taught  the  Confederates  that  the 
only  safe  method  in  iealing  with  such  persistent  and  unap- 
peasable foes  was  to  crush  them  utterly.  Among  the  most 
dangerous  of  their  enemies  were  the  Hurons  and  the  eastern 
Algonkins,  sustained  and  encouraged  by  the  French  colonists. 
It  isf'-cm  themand  their  historians  chiefly  that  thecomplaints 
1  Golden :  History  of  the  Five  Nations,  Vol.  11,  p.  36  (2d  Edition). 


THE   IROQUOIS   POLICY. 


96 


of  Iroquois  cruelties  have  descended  to  us ;  but  the  same  his- 
torians have  not  omitted  to  inform  us  that  the  first  acquaint- 
ance of  the  Iroquois  with  these  colonists  was  through  two 
most  wanton  and  butcherly  assaults  which  Champlain  and  his 
soldiers,  in  company  with  their  Indian  allies,  made  upon  their 
unoffending  neighbors.  No  milder  epithets  can  justly  describe 
these  unprovoked  invasions,  in  which  the  Iroquois  bowmen, 
defending  their  homes,  were  shot  down  mercilessly  with  fire- 
arms, by  strangers  whom  they  had  never  before  seen  or  per- 
haps even  heard  of.  This  stroke  of  evil  policy,  which  tar- 
nished an  illustrious  name,  left  far-reaching  consequences, 
affecting  the  future  of  half  a  continent.  Its  first  result  was 
the  destruction  of  the  Hurons,  the  special  allies  and  instigat- 
ors of  the  colonists  in  their  hostilities.  The  Attiwandaronks, 
or  Neutrals,  with  whom,  till  this  time,  the  Iroquois  had  main- 
tained peaceful  relations,  shared  the  same  fate  ;'for  they  were 
the  friends  of  the  Hurons  and  the  French.  The  Eries  per- 
ished in  a  war  provoked,  as  the  French  missionaries  in  their 
always  trustworthy  accounts  inform  us,  by  a  perverse  freak  of 
cruelty  on  their  own  part. 

Yet,  in  all  these  destructive  wars,  the  Iroquois  never  for  a 
moment  forgot  the  principles  which  lay  at  the  foundation  of 
their  League,  and  which  taught  them  to  "  strengthen  their 
house  "  by  converting  enemies  into  friends.  On  the  instant 
that  resistance  ceased,  slaughter  ceased  with  it.  The  warriors 
who  we.^  J  willing  to  unite  their  fortunes  with  the  Confederates 
were  at  once  welcomed  among  them.  Some  were  adopted 
into  the  families  of  those  who  had  lost  children  or  brothers. 
Others  had  lands  allotted  to  them,  on  which  they  were 
allowed  to  live  by  themselves,  under  their  own  chiefs  and  their 
native  laws,  until  in  two  or  three  generations,  by  friendly  in- 
tercourse, frequent  intermarriages,  and  community  of  inter- 
ests, they  became  gradually  absorbed  into  the  society  about 
them.  Those  who  suppose  that  the  Hurons  only  survive  in  a 
few  Wyandots,  and  that  the  Eries,  Attiwandaronks,  and  An- 


T 


96 


INTRODUCTION. 


in 


\l\  I 


dastes  have  utterly  perished,  are  greatly  mistaken.  It  is  ab- 
solutely certain  that  of  the  twelve  thousand  Indians  who  now, 
in  the  United  States  and  Canada,  preserve  the  Iroquois  name, 
the  greater  portion  derive  their  descent,  in  whole  or  in  part, 
from  those  conquered  nations,'  No  other  Indian  community, 
so  far  as  we  know,  has  ever  pursued  this  policy  of  incorpora- 
tion to  anything  near  the  same  extent,  or  carried  it  out  with 
anything  like  the  same  humanity.  Even  towards  the  most 
determined  and  the  most  savage  of  their  foes,  theKanonsionni, 
when  finally  victorious,  showed  themselves  ever  magnanimous 
and  placable. 

The  common  opinion  of  the  cruelty  of  the  Iroquois  has 
arisen  mainly  from  the  custom  which  they  occasionally  prac- 

^  Ces  victoires  leur  causant  presque  autant  de  perte  qu'^  leurs  ennemis, 
elles  ont  tellenient  depeiipld  leurs  Uourgs,  qu'on  y  coinpte  plus  d'Estran- 
gers  (|ue  de  aturcls  du  pays.  Onnontaghc  a  sept  nations  dilTerentes  qui 
s'y  sont  veniies  establir,  et  il  s'en  trouve  jusqu'i  onze  dans  SonnontoUan." 
^?/a^/o«  of  1657,  p.  34.  "Qui  feroit  la  supput.ition  des  francs  Iroquois, 
auroit  de  la  peine  d'en  trouver  plus  de  douze  cents  {i.e.  comballans)  en 
toutes  les  cini|  Nations,  parce  ([ue  le  plus  grand  nombre  n'est  compost  cjue 
d'un  rp'Tias  de  divers  peuples  qu'ils  ont  concjuestez,  commes  des  Hurons, 
des  Tionnont.iteronnons,  autrement  N.ilion  du  Pctun  ;  des  Atliwcndaronk, 
qu'on  appelloit  Neutres,  cjuand  ils  estoient  sur  pied ;  des  Ri([uelironnons, 
qui  sont  ceux  de  la  Nation  des  Chats ;  des  Ontwaganha,  ou  Nation  du  Feu ; 
des  Tr.ak//!iehronnons,  et  autres,  qui,  tout  estrangers  qu'ils  sont,  font  sans 
doute  la  plus  grande  et  la  meilleure  parties  des  Iroquois."  A'e/.  de  1660, 
p.  7.  Yet,  it  was  this  "  conglomeration  of  divers  peoples"  that,  under  the 
discipline  of  Iroquois  institutions  and  the  guidance  of  Iroquois  statesmen 
and  commanders,  held  high  the  name  of  the  Kanonsionni,  and  made  the 
Confederacy  z.  great  power  on  the  continent  for  more  than  a  century  after 
this  time  ;  who  again  and  again  measured  arms  and  intellects  with  Frenfh 
generals  and  diplomatists,  and  came  off  at  least  with  equal  fortune  ;  who 
smote  their  Abenaki  enemies  in  the  far  east,  punished  the  Illinois  maraud- 
ers in  the  far  west,  and  thrust  bac'c  the  intruding  Cherokees  into  their 
southern  mountains ;  who  were  a  wall  of  defence  to  the  English  colonies, 
and  a  strong  protection  to  the  many  broken  bands  of  Indians  which  from 
every  quarter  clustered  round  the  shadow  of  the  "  great  pine  tree  "  of 
Onondaga. 


THE   IROQUOIS   POLICY. 


97 


ticed,  like  some  other  Indians,  of  burning  prisoners  at  the 
stake.  Out  of  the  multitude  of  their  captives,  the  number 
subjected  to  this  torture  was  really  very  small, — probably  not 
nearly  as  large  in  proportion  as  the  number  of  criminals  and 
political  prisoners  who,  in  some  countries  of  Europe,  at 
about  the  same  time,  were  subjected  to  the  equally  cruel  tor- 
ments of  the  rack  and  the  wheel.  These  criminals  and  other 
prisoners  were  so  tortured  because  they  were  regarded  as  the 
enemies  of  society.  The  motives  which  actuated  the  Iro- 
quois were  precisely  the  same.  As  has  been  before  remarked, 
the  mode  in  which  their  enemies  carried  on  their  warfare 
with  them  was  chiefly  by  stealthy  and  sudden  inroads.  The 
prowling  warrior  lurked  'n  the  woods  near  the  Iroquois  vil- 
lage through  the  day,  and  at  night  fell  with  hatchet  and  club 
upon  his  unsuspecting  victims.  The  Iroquois  lawgivers 
deemed  it  essential  for  the  safety  of  their  people  that  the  men 
who  were  guilty  of  such  murderous  attacks  should  have  reason 
to  apprehend,  if  caught,  a  direful  fate. 

If  the  comparatively  few  instances  of  these  political  tortures 
which  occurred  among  the  Iroquois  are  compared  with  the 
awful  list  of  similar  and  worse  inflictions  which  stain  the  an- 
nals of  the  most  enlightened  nations  of  Europe  and  Asia, 
ancient  and  modern, — the  crucifixions,  the  impalements,  the 
dreadful  mutilations — lopping  of  hands  and  feet,  tearing  ou<: 
of  eyes — the  tortures  of  the  rack  and  wheel,  the  red-hot  pin- 
cers, the  burning  crown,  the  noisome  dungeon,  the  slow 
starvation,  the  lingering  death  in  the  Siberian  mines, 
— it  will  become  evident  that  these  barbarians  were  far  infe- 
rior to  their  civilized  contemporaries  in  the  temper  and  arts  of 
inhumanity.  Even  in  the  very  method  of  punishment  which 
they  adopted  the  Indians  were  outdone  in  Europe,  and  that, 
strangely  enough,  by  the  two  great  colonizing  and  conquer- 
ing nations,  heirs  of  all  modern  enlightenment,  who  came  to 
displace  them, — the  English  and  the  Spaniards.  The  Iro- 
quois never  burnt  women  at  the  stake.     To  put  either  men  or 


98 


INTRODUCTION. 


women  to  death  for  a  difference  of  creed  had  not  occurred  to 
them.  It  may  justly  be  affirmed  that  in  the  horrors  of 
Smithfield  and  the  Campo  Santo,  the  innate  barbarism  of 
the  Aryan,  breaking  through  his  thin  varnish  of  civilization, 
was  found  far  transcending  the  utmost  barbarism  of  the 
Indian.* 

*  The  Aryans  of  Europe  are  undoubtedly  superior  in  humanity,  courage 
and  independence,  to  those  of  Asia.  It  is  possible  that  the  finer  qualities 
which  distinguish  the  western  branch  of  this  stock  may  have  been  derived 
from  admixture  with  an  earlier  population  of  Europe,  identical  in  race 
and  character  with  the  aborigines  of  America.     See  Appendix,  Note  F. 


• 


li 


CHAPTER  X. 


The  Iroquois  Language. 

As  the  mental  faculties  of  a  people  are  reflected  in  their 
speech,  we  should  naturally  expect  that  the  language  of  a 
race  manifesting  such  unusual  powers  as  the  Iroquois  nations 
have  displayed  would  be  of  a  remarkable  character.  In 
this  expectation  we  are  not  disappointed.  The  languages  of 
the  Huron-Iroquois  family  belong  to  what  has  been  termed 
the  polysynthetic  class,  and  are  distinguished,  even  in  that 
class,  by  a  more  than  ordinary  endowment  of  that  variety 
of  forms  and  fullness  of  expression  for  which  languages  of 
that  type  are  noted.  The  best-qualified  judges  have  been 
the  most  struck  with  this  peculiar  excellence.  "  The  variety 
of  compounds,"  wrote  the  accomplished  missionary,  Brebeuf, 
concerning  the  Huron  tongue,  "  is  very  great ;  it  is  the 
key  to  the  secret  of  their  language.  They  have  as  many 
genders  as  ourselves,  as  many  numbers  as  the  Greeks." 
Recurring  to  the  same  comparison,  he  remarks  of  the  Huron 
verb  that  it  has  as  many  tenses  and  numbers  as  the  Greek, 
with  certain  discriminations  which  the  latter  did  not  possess.^ 
A  great  living  authority  has  added  the  weight  of  his  name 
to  these  opinions  of  the  scholarly  Jesuit.  Professor  Max 
Miiller,  who  took  the  opportunity  afforded  by  the  presence 
of  a  Mohawk  undergraduate  at  Oxford  to  study  his  language, 
writes  of  it  in  emphatic  terms:  "To  my  mind  the  struc- 
ture of  such  a  language  as  the  Mohawk  is  quite  sufficient 
evidence  that  those  who  worked  out  such  a  work  of  art  were 
powerful  reasoners  and  accurate  classifiers. "  * 

"^Relation  of  1636,  pp.  99,  ICX). 

*  In  a  letter  to  the  author,  dated  Feb.  14,  1882.  In  a  subsequent  letter 
Prof.  Muller  writes,  in  regard  to  the  study  of  the  aboriginal  languages  of 
this  continent :  "  It  has  long  been  a  puzzle  to  me  why  this  most  tempt- 

99 


I 


II 


100 


INTRODUCTION. 


•71 


')  I 


!  i    I 

r     it 


It  is  a  fact  somewhat  surprising,  as  well  as  unfortunate, 
that  no  complete  grammar  of  any  language  of  the  Huron- 
Iroquois  stock  has  ever  been  published.  Many  learned  and 
zealous  missionaries.  Catholic  and  Protestant,  have  labored 
among  the  tribes  of  this  stock  for  more  than  two  centuries. 
Portions  of  the  Scriptures,  as  well  as  some  other  works,  have 
been  translated  into  several  of  these  languages.  Some  small 
books,  including  biographies  and  hymn-books,  have  been 
composed  and  printed  in  two  of  them ;  and  the  late  devoted 
and  indefatigable  missionary  among  the  Senecas,  the  Rev. 
Asher  Wright,  conducted  for  several  years  a  periodical,  the 
"Mental  Elevator"  (^Ne  Jaguhnigoageswatha),  in  their  lan- 
guage. Several  grammars  are  known  to  have  been  composed, 
but  none  have  as  yet  been  printed  in  a  complete  form.  One 
reason  of  this  unwillingness  to  publish  was,  undoubtedly, 
the  sense  which  the  compilers  felt  of  the  insufficiency  of 
their  work.  Such  is  the  extraordinary  complexity  of  the 
language,  such  the  multiplicity  of  its  forms  and  the  subtlety 
of  its  distinctions,  that  years  of  study  are  required  to  master 
it ;  and  indeed  it  may  be  said  that  the  abler  the  investigator 
and  the  more  careful  his  study,  the  more  likely  he  is  to  be 
dissatisfied  with  his  success.  This  dissatisfaction  was  frankly 
expressed  and  practically  exhibited  by  Mr.  Wright  himself, 
certainly  one  of  the  best  endowed  and  most  industrious  of 
these  inquirers.  After  residing  for  several  years  among  the 
Senecas,   forming   an  alphabet    remarkable    for    its   precise 

ing  and  promising  field  of  philological  research  has  been  allowed  to  lie 
almost  fallow  in  America, — as  if  these  languages  could  not  tell  us  quite  as 
much  of  the  growth  of  the  human  mind  as  Cliinese,  or  Hebrew,  or 
Sanscrit."  I  have  Prof.  Max  MUller's  permission  to  publish  these 
extracts,  and  gladly  do  so,  in  the  hope  that  they  may  serve  to  stimulate 
that  growing  interest  which  the  efforts  of  scholars  like  Trumbull,  Shea, 
Cuoq,  Brmton,  and,  more  recently.  Major  Powell  and  his  able  collabor- 
ators of  the  Ethnological  Bureau,  are  at  length  beginning  to  awaken 
among  us,  in  the  investigation  of  this  important  and  almost  unexplored 
province  of  linguistic  science. 


'    '     \ 


THE    IROQUOIS   LANGUAGE. 


101 


discrimination  of  sounds,  and  even  publishing  several  trans- 
lations in  their  language,  he  undertook  to  give  some  account 
of  its  grammatical   forms.     A    little  work  printed   in  1842, 
with  the  modest  title  of  'M  S/>(-lling-l>ook  0/ (he  Seneca  Lan- 
guage,"  comprises  the  variations  of  nouns,  adjectives  and  pro- 
nouns, given  with  much  minuteness.     Tliose  of  the  verbs  are 
promised,  but  the  book  closes  abruptly  without  them,  for  the 
reason — as  ti.      uthor  afterwards  explained  to  a  correspondent 
— that  he  had  not  as  yet  been  able  to  obtain  such  a  complete 
knowledge  of  them  as  he  desired.     This  difficulty  is  further 
exemplified  by  a  work  purporting  to  be  a  "  Grammar  of  the 
Huron  Language,   by  a  Missionary   of  the  Village  of  Huron 
Indians  near  Quebec,  found  amongst  the  papers  of  the  Mission, 
and  translated  from  the   Latin,  by  the  RciK  John    Wilkiey 
This   translation   is  published  in  the  "  Transactions   of  the 
Literary  and  Historical  Society  of  Quebec,'^  for  1831,  and  fills 
more  than  a  hundred  octavo  pages.    It  is  a  work  evidently  of 
great  labor,  and  is  devoted  chiefly  to  the  variations  of  the 
verbs ;  yet  its  lack  of  completeness  may  be  judged  from  the 
single  fact  that  the   "transitions,"  or  in  other  words,   the 
combinations  of  the  double  pronouns,  nominative  and  object- 
ive, with  the  transitive  verb,  which  form  such  an  important 
feature  of  the  language,  are  hardly  noticed  ;  and,  it  may  be 
added,  though  the  conjugations  are  mentioned,  they  are  not 
explained.     The   work,    indeed,   would  rather  perplex  than 
aid  an  investigator,  and  gives  no  proper  idea  of  the  char- 
acter and  richness  of  the  language.     The  same  may  be  said 
of  the  grammatical    notices  comprised    in   the   Latin  "Proe- 
mium  "  to  Bruyas'  Iroquois  dictionary.     These  notices  are 
apparently   modeled    to    some    extent   on    this   anonymous 
grammar  of  the  Huron  language, — unless,  indeed,  the  latter 
may  have  been  copied    from  Bruyas  ;  tlie  rules  which   they 
give    being    in    several     instances    couched    in    the    same 
words. 

Some  useful  grammatical   explanations  are  found  in  the 


K 


1 


f 


r  i 


!• 


\i 


102 


INTRODUCTION. 


anonymous  Onondaga  dictionary  of  the  seventeenth  century, 
published  by  Dr.  Shea  in  his  "  Library  of  American  Lin- 
guistics.'' But  by  far  the  most  valuable  contribution  to  our 
knowledi"'  of  the  structure  of  this  remarkable  group  of  lan- 
guages 1  lund  in  the  works  of  a  distinguished  writer  of  our 
own  day,  ilie  Rev.  J.  A.  Cuoq,  of  Montreal,  eminent  both  as 
a  missionary  and  as  a  philologist.  After  twenty  years  of  labor 
among  the  Iroquois  and  Algonkin  tribes  in  the  Province  of 
Quebec,  M.  Cuoq  was  led  to  appear  as  an  author  by  his  de- 
sire to  defend  his  charges  against  the  injurious  effect  of  a 
judgment  which  had  been  pronounced  by  a  noted  authority. 
M.  Renan  had  put  forth,  among  the  many  theories  which 
distinguish  his  celebrated  work  on  the  Semitic  languages, 
one  which  seemed  to  M.  Cuoq  as  mischievous  as  it  was  un- 
founded. M.  Renan  held  that  no  races  were  capable  of  civ- 
ilization except  such  as  have  now  attained  it ;  and  that  these 
comprised  only  the  Aryan,  the  Semitic,  and  the  Chinese. 
This  opinion  was  enforced  by  a  reference  to  the  languages 
spoken  by  the  members  of  those  races.  "  To  imagine  a  bar- 
barous race  speaking  a  Semitic  or  an  Indo-European  language 
is,"  he  declares,  "  an  impossible  supposition  (jiiie  fiction  con- 
tradictoire),  which  no  person  can  entertain  who  is  familiar 
with  the  laws  of  comparative  philology,  and  with  the  general 
theory  of  the  human  intellect.' '  To  one  who  remembers  that 
every  nation  of  the  Indo-European  race  traces  its  descent  from 
a  barbarous  ancestry,  and  especially  that  the  Germans  in  the 
days  of  Tacitus  were  in  precisely  the  same  social  stage  as 
that  of  the  Iroquois  in  the  days  of  Champlain,  this  opinion 
of  the  brilliant  French  philologist  and  historian  will  seem 
erratic  and  unaccountable.  M.  Cuoq  sought  to  refute  it,  not 
merely  by  argument,  but  by  the  logic  of  facts.  In  two 
works,  published  successively  in  1864  and  1866,  he  showed, 
by  many  and  various  examples,  that  the  Iroquois  and  Algon- 
kin languages  possessed  all  the  excellences  which  M.  Renan 
admired  in  the  Indo-European  languages,  and  surpassed  in 


THE    IROQUOIS   LANGUAGE. 


103 


almost  every  respect  the  Semitic  and  Chinese  tongues.'  The 
resemblances  of  these  Indian  languages  to  the  Greek  struck 
him,  as  it  had  struck  his  illustrious  predecessor,  the  martyred 
Brebeuf,  two  hundred  years  before.  M.  Cuoq  is  also  the 
author  of  a  valuable  Iroquois  lexicon,  with  notes  and  appen- 
dices, in  which  he  discusses  some  interesting  points  in  the 
philology  of  the  language.  This  lexicon  is  important,  also, 
for  comparison  with  that  of  the  Jesuit  mibsionary,  Bruyas, 
as  showing  how  little  the  language  has  varied  in  the  course 
of  two  centuries.*  The  following  particulars  respecting  the 
Iroquois  tongues  are  mainly  derived  from  the  works  of  M. 
Cuoq,  of  Bruyas,  and  of  Mr.  Wright,  sui:plemented  by  the 
researches  of  the  author,  pursued  at  intervals  during  several 
years,  among  the  tribes  of  Western  Canada  and  New  York. 
Only  a  very  brief  sketch  of  the  subject  can  here  be  given. 
It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  a  complete  grammar  of  any 
Iroquois  language  would  be  at  least  as  extensive  as  the  best 
Greek  or  Sanscrit  grammar.  For  such  a  work  neither  the 
writer,  nor  perhaps  any  other  person  now  living,  except  M. 
Cuoq  himself,  would  be  competent. 

The  phonology  of  the  language  is  at  once  simple  and 
perplexing.  According  to  M.  Cuoq,  twelve  letters  suffice  to 
represent  it :  a,  e,  f,  h,  /,  k,  n,  o,  r,  s,  t,  w.  Mr.  Wright 
employs  for  the   Seneca  seventeen,  with  diacritical  marks, 

1  See  Jugement  Errant  de  M.  Ernest  Kenan  sur  les  Langttes  Sau- 
vages  :  (2cl  edit.)  Dawson  Brothers,  Montreal:  1870;  and  lutudes  Phi- 
lologiques  sur  (juelques  Langiies  Sauvages  de  l' Amhique.  Par  N.  O., 
Ancien  Missionaire.  Ibid:  1866.  \ha  Lexiqi'e  de  la  Langtie /roquoise, 
avec  notes  et  appendices.  Par  J.  A.  Cuoq,  PrHre  de  St.  Sulpice.  J. 
Chapleau  &  Fils,  Montreal :  1882.  These  are  all  works  indispensable  to 
the  student  of  Indian  languages. 

*  Radices  Verborum  Iroquteorum.  Auctore  K.  P.  Jacopo  Bruyas, 
Societatis  Jesu.  Published  in  Shea's  '^  I.ihrary  of  American  JJnguistics.'^ 
For  the  works  in  this  invaluable  Library,  American  scholars  owe  a  debt 
of  gratitude  to  Dr.  Shea's  enlightened  zeal  in  the  cause  of  science  and 
humanity. 


■ 


■■■■ 


I 


h  I 


•I 

'I 


104 


INTRODUCTION. 


which  raise  the  number  to  twenty-one.  The  English  mission- 
aries among  the  Mohawks  found  sixteen  letters  sufficient, 
a,  d,  e,  g,  h,  i,  J,  k,  u,  o,  r,  s,  i,  ti,  w,  y.  There  are  no 
labial  sounds,  unless  the  /,  which  rarely  occurs,  and  api)ears 
to  be  merely  an  aspirated  w,  may  be  considered  one.  No 
def.nite  distinction  is  maintained  between  the  vowel  sounds 
0  and  //,  and  one  of  these  letters  may  be  dispensed  with.  The 
distinction  between  hard  and  soft  (or  surd  and  sonant)  mutes 
is  not  preserved.  The  sounds  of  d  and  /,  and  those  of  ^  and 
^,  are  interchangeable.  Sj  also  are  those  of /and  r,  t'-^ 
former  sound  being  heard  more  frequently  in  the  Oneida 
dialect  and  the  latter  in  the  Canienga.  From  the  Western 
dialects, — the  Onondaga,  Cayuga  and  Seneca, — this  I  or  r 
sound  has,  in  modern  times,  disappeared  altogether.  The 
Canienga  konoronkwa,  I  esteem  him  (in  Oneida  usually 
sounded  konolonkwa),  has  become  honoenkwa  in  Onondaga, — 
and  in  Cayuga  and  Seneca  is  contracted  to  konbnkwa. 
Aspirates  and  aspirated  gutturals  abound,  and  have  been 
variously  represented  by  h,  lih,  kh,  and  gh,  and  sometimes 
(in  the  works  of  the  early  French  missionaries)  by  the  Greek 
y  and  the  spiritiis  aspcr.  Yet  no  permanent  distinction 
appears  to  be  maintained  among  the  sounds  thus  represented, 
and  M.  Cuoq  reduces  them  all  to  the  simple  h.  The  French 
nasal  sound  abounds.  M.  Cuoq  and  the  earlier  English 
missionaries  have  e.\[)ressed  it,  as  in  French,  simply  by  the  n 
when  terminating  a  syllal)le.  When  it  does  not  close  a 
syllable,  a  diaeresis  above  the  n,  or  else  the  Spanish  tilde  {n) 
indicates  the  sound.  Mr.  Wright  denotes  it  by  a  line  under 
the  vowel.  The  later  English  missionaries  express  it  by  a 
diphthong:  ken  becomes  kca ;  nomva  becomes  noeiva ; 
onghweiitsya  is  written  oiig/tweafsya. 

A  strict  analysis  would  probably  reduce  the  sounds  of  the 
Canienga  language  to  seven  consonants,  //,  k,  n,  r,  j,  /,  and 
w,  and  four  vowels,  a,  e,  i,  and  o,  of  which  three,  a,  e,  and  o, 
may  receive  a  nasal  sound.     This  nasalizing  makes  them,  in 


THE    IROQUOIS    LANGUAGE. 


105 


fact,  distinct  elements;  and  the  primary  sounds  of  the  lan- 
guage may  therefore  be  i-ickoned  at  fourteen.  '  The  absence 
of  labials  and  the  frequent  aspirated  gutturals  give  to  the  utter- 
ance of  the  best  speakers  a  deep  and  sonorous  character  which 
reminds  the  hearer  of  the  stately  Castilian  speech. 

The  "  Book  of  Rites,"  or,  rather,  the  Canienga  portion  of 
it,  is  written  in  the  orthography  first  employed  by  the  English 
missionaries.  The  ^is  frequently  used,  and  must  be  regarded 
merely  as  a  variant  of  the  t  sound.  The  g  is  sometimes, 
though  rarely,  employed  as  a  variant  of  the  k.  The  digraph 
gh  is  common  and  represents  the  guttural  aspirate,  which  in 
German  is  indicated  by  ch  and  in  Spanish  byy'.  The  French 
missionaries  write  it  now  simply  h,  and  consider  it  merely  a 
harsh  pronunciation  of  the  asi)irate.  They  is  sounded  as  in 
English  ;  it  usually  represents  a  complex  sound,  which  might 
be  analysed  into /'i'  or  ts'i ;  jatliondek  is  properly  ts'iatontck. 
The  X,  which  occasionally  appears,  is  to  be  pronounced  /'f, 
as  in  English.  An,  en,  on,  when  not  followed  by  a  vowel,  have 
a  nasal  sound,  as  in  French.  This  sound  is  heard  even  when 
those  syllables  are  followed  b\-  another  //.  Thus  Kanonsionni 
is  pronounced  as  if  written  Kanonsionni  and  yonJennase  as  if 
written  yoTuicnnase.  The  vowels  have  usually  the  same  sound 
as  in  German  and  Italian  ;  but  in  the  nasal  en  the  vowel  has 
an  obscure  .sound,  nearly  like  that  of  the  short  a  in  hut.  Thus 
yondcnnase  sounds  almost  as  if  written  yondiihnase,  and 
kanienke  is  pronounced  nearly  like  kaniiinke. 

The  nouns  in  Irocpiois  are  varied,  but  with  accidence  dif- 
fering from  the  Aryan  and  Semitic  variations,  some  of  the 
distinctions  being  more  subtle,  and,  so  to  speak,  metaphysical. 
The  dual  is  expressed  by  prefixing  the  particle  te,  and  suf- 
fixing ke  to  the  noun  ;  tlius,  from  kanonsa,  house,  we  have 

1  A  dental  t,  which  the  French  missionaries  represent  sometimes  by  the 
Greek  ()  'in'l  souieiinies  by  (h,  and  which  the  Knj;li>h  have  also  occasion- 
ally exjiressed  by  tiie  latter  ni  tliod,  may  possibly  furnish  an  additional 
element.     The  Greek  h  of  the  former  is  simply  the  Eny;lish  w. 


[ 


''■'W 


!:      t 


}, 


!      •' 


i 


106 


INTRODUCTION. 


tckaitotisake,  two  houses.  These  syllables,  or  at  least  the  first, 
are  supposed  to  be  derived  from  fekeni,  two.  The  plural, 
when  it  follows  an  adjective  expressive  of  number,  is  indi- 
cated by  the  syllable  ni  prefixed  to  the  noun,  and  ke  suffixed  ; 
as,  eso  nikanonsake,  many  houses.  In  other  cases  the  plural 
is  sometimes  expressed  by  one  of  the  words  okon  (or  hokon) 
okonha,  son  and  sonha,  following  the  noun.  In  general, 
however,  the  plural  significance  of  nouns  is  left  to  be  inferred 
from  the  context,  the  verb  always  and  the  adjective  frequently 
indicating  it. 

All  beings  are  divided  into  two  classes,  ,.hich  do  not  cor- 
respond either  with  the  Aryan  genders  or  with  the  distinctions 
of  animate  and  inanimate  which  prevail  in  the  Algonkin 
tongues.  These  classes  have  been  styled  noble  and  common. 
To  the  noble  belong  male  human  beings  and  deities.  The 
other  class  comprises  women  and  all  other  objects.  It  seems 
probable,  however,  that  the  distinction  in  the  first  instance 
was  merely  that  of  sex, — that  it  was,  in  fact,  a  true  gender. 
Deities,  being  regarded  as  male,  were  included  in  the  mascu- 
line gender.  There  being  no  neuter  form,  the  feminine 
gender  was  extended,  and  made  to  comprise  all  other  beings. 
These  classes,  however,  are  not  indicated  by  any  change  in 
the  noun,  but  merely  by  the  forms  of  the  pronoun  and  the 
verb. 

The  local  relations  of  nouns  are  expressed  by  affixed  par- 
ticles, such  as  ke,  nc,  kon,  akon,  akta.  Thus,  from  onvnta 
mountain,  we  have  onontakc,  at  (or  to)  the  mountain  ;  from 
akehrat,  dish,  akehnitne,  in  (or  on)  the  dish  ;  from  kanonsa, 
house,  kanonsakon,  or  kam'wskon,  in  the  house,  kanonsokon, 
under  the  house,  and  kanonsakta,  near  the  house.  These 
locative  particles,  it  will  be  seen,  usually,  though  not  always, 
draw  the  accent  towards  them. 

The  most  peculiar  and  perplexing  variation  is  that  made 
by  what  is  termed  the  "crement,"  affixed  to  many  (though 
not  all)  nouns.     This  crement  in  the  Canienga  takes  various 


THE    IROQUOIS   LANGUAGE. 


107 


forms, /</,  sera,  tsera,  ktva.  Oiikwe,  man,  becomes  onhvcfa  ; 
otkon,  ^\)'\x\\.,  flfh'dnsera  ;  aktacr,  oar,  akawetsera  ;  afita,  shoe, 
ahhtdkiua.  The  crement  is  employed  when  the  noun  is  used 
with  numeral  adjectives,  when  it  has  adjective  or  other  affixes, 
and  generally  when  it  enters  into  composition  with  other 
words.  Thi'S  onkvje,  man,  combined  with  the  adjective 
termination  iyo  ( from  the  obsolete  7viyo,  good)  becomes  onkivf- 
tiyo,  good  man.  Wenni,  day,  becomes  in  the  plural  niate 
niwcnniscrakc,  many  days,  etc.  The  change,  however,  is  not 
grammatical  merely,  but  conveys  a  peculiar  shade  of  meaning 
difficult  to  define.  The  noun,  according  to  M.  Cuoq,  passes 
from  a  general  and  determinate  to  a  si)ecial  and  restricted 
sense.  Onkwe  means  man  in  general ;  asen  nionkicefakc, 
three  men  (in  particu'ar.)  One  interpreter  rendered  aka'ivct- 
sera,  "  the  oar  itself."  The  affix  sera  or  tsera  seems  to 
be  employed  to  form  what  we  should  term  abstract  nouns, 
though  to  the  Iroquois  mind  they  apparently  present  them- 
selves as  possessing  a  restricted  or  specialized  sense.  Thus 
from  iotarihen,  it  is  warm,  we  have  otarihensera,  heat ;  from 
wakeriat,  to  be  brave,  aferiatitsera,  courage.  So  kakiveni- 
dtsera,  authority  ;  kanaii'sera,  pride ;  kanakwensera,  anger. 
Words  of  this  class  abound  in  the  Iroquois ;  so  little  ground 
is  there  for  the  common  opinion  that  the  language  is  destitute 
of  abstract  nouns.' 

The  adjective,  when  employed  in  an  isolated  form,  follows 
the  substantive ;  as  kanonsa  koiva,  large  house ;  onkwe  hoiiwe 
(or  o>m<e)  a  real  man.  But,  in  general,  the  substantive  and 
the  adjective  coalesce  in  one  word.  Ase  signifies  new,  and 
added  to  kanonsa  gives  us  k'jnonsiise,  new  house.  Karonta, 
tree,  and  ko%va,  or  kotuanen,  great,  make  together  karonto- 
7vanen,  great  tree.  Frequently  the  affixed  adjective  is  never 
employed  as  an  isolated  word.     The  termination  iyo  (or  Ho') 

*  See,  on  ihis  point, the  remarks  of  Dr.  Biinton  to  the  same  effect,  in 
regard  to  the  Aztec,  (Vjuichua,  and  other  languages,  with  interesting 
ilhistrations,  in  his  "American  Hero  Myt/is"  p.  25. 


108 


INTRODLCTION. 


t\f 


h 


\ 


|: 


expresses  good  or  beautiful,  and  aksen,  bad  or  ugly;  thus 
kanonsiyo,  fine  house,  kanonsdksen,  ugly  house.  These  com- 
pound forms  frequently  make  their  plural  by  adding  s,  as 
kanonsiyos,  kanonsaksens. 

The  pronouns  are  more  numerous  than  in  any  European 
language,  and  show  clearer  distinctions  in  meaning.  T'lUS, 
in  the  singular,  besides  the  ordinary  pronouns,  I,  thou,  he 
and  she,  the  language  possesses  an  indeterminate  form,  which 
answers  very  nearly  to  the  French  on.  The  first  person  of  the 
dual  has  two  forms,  the  one  including,  the  other  excluding, 
the  person  addressed,  and  signifying,  therefore,  respectively, 
"thou  and  I,"  and  "he  and  I."  The  first  person  plural 
has  the  same  twofold  form.  The  third  persons  dual  and 
plural  have  masculine  and  feminine  forms.  Thus  the  lan- 
guage has  fifteen  personal  pronouns,  all  in  common  use,  and 
all,  it  may  be  added,  useful  in  expressing  distinctions  which 
the  English  can  only  indicate  by  circumlocutions.  These 
pronouns  are  best  shown  in  the  form  in  which  they  are  pre- 
fixed to  a  verb.  The  following  are  examples  of  the  verb 
katkahtos,  I  see  (root  atkahto)  and  kenoinvfs,  I  love  (root 
nonwe),  as  conjugated  in  the  present  tense:  — 


katkahtos,  I  see. 

satka/itos,  thou  seest. 

ratkahtos,  he  sees. 

watkahtos,  she  sees. 

iontkahtos,  one  sees. 

tiatkahtos,  we  two  see  (thou  aiul  I.) 

iakiatkahtos,  we  two  see  (he  and  I.) 

tsiatkaktos,  ye  two  see. 

hiatkalitos,  they  two  see  (masc.) 

kiatkahtos,  they  two  see  (fcm.) 

tewalkahtos,  wc  see  (ye  ami  I.) 

iakivatkahtos,  we  see  (they  and  I.) 

sewatkahtos,  ye  see. 

rontka/itos,  they  see  (masc.) 

konlkahtos,  they  see  (fcm.) 


kenonwes,  I  love. 
senon-iocs,  thou  lovest. 
roHomoes,  he  loves. 
kanonwes,  she  loves. 
icnonwes,  one  loves. 
teninoinws,  we  two  love  (thou  and  I) 
iaki-iiiiiniiuh-s,  we  two  love  (he  and  I) 
scninonu'cs,  ye  two  love. 
hninonwes,  they  two  love  (masc.) 
kcninoirwes,  they  two  love  (fern.) 
te7oanonwis,  we  love  (ye  and  I.) 
iakwancnnics,  we  love  (they  and  I.) 
seicanon'dvs,  ye  love. 
ratinomces,  they  love  (masc.) 
kontinonwi's,  they  love  (fern.) 


Ni*». 


.^•,^' .  -'.>      ^^^ 


#«ssa»i«....- 


THE   IROQUOIS   LANGUAGE. 


109 


It  will  be  observed  that  in  these  examples  the  prefixed 
pronouns  differ  considerably  in  some  cases.  These  differences 
determine  (or  are  determined  by)  the  conjugation  of  the 
verbs.  Katkahtos  belongs  to  the  first  conjugation,  and 
kenonwes  to  the  second.  There  are  three  other  conjugations, 
each  of  which  shows  some  peculiarity  in  the  prefixed  pro- 
nouns, though,  in  the  main,  a  general  resemblance  runs 
thi  jugh  them  all.  There  are  other  variations  of  the  pronouns, 
according  to  the  "paradigm,"  as  ..  is  called,  to  which  the 
verb  belongs.  Of  these  paradigms  there  are  two,  named 
in  the  modern  Iroquois  grammars  paradigms  K  and  A,  from 
the  first  or  characteristic  letter  of  the  first  personal  pronoun. 
The  particular  conjugation  and  paradigm  to  which  any  verb 
belongs  can  only  be  learned  by  practice,  or  from  the  diction- 
aries. 

The  same  prefixed  pronouns  are  used,  with  some  slight 
variations,  as  possessives,  when  prefixed  to  a  substantive  ;  as, 
from  j/Aj!,  foot,  we  have  (in  Paradigm  A)  akasita,  my  foot,  sa- 
sita,  thy  foot,  raosita,  his  foot.  Thus  nouns,  like  verbs,  have 
the  five  conjugations  and  the  two  paradigms. 

Iroquois  verbs  have  three  moods,  indicative,  imperative, 
and  subjunctive ;  and  they  have,  in  the  indicative,  seven 
tenses,  the  present,  imperfect,  perfect,  pluperfect,  aorist, 
future  and  paulo-post  future.  These  moods  and  tenses  are 
indicated  either  by  changes  of  termination,  or  by  prefixed 
particles,  or  by  both  conjoined.  One  authority  makes  six 
other  tenses,  but  M.  Cuocj  prefers  to  include  them  among  the 
special  forms  of  the  verb,  of  which  mention  will  presently  be 
made. 

To  give  examples  of  these  tenses,  and  the  rules  for  their 
formation,  would  require  more  space  than  can  be  devoted  to 
the  subject  in  the  present  volume.  The  reader  who  desires 
to  pursue  the  study  is  referred  to  the  works  of  M.  Cuoq 
already  mentioned. 

The  verb  takes  a  passive  form  by  inserting  the  syllable  at 


»■««*•    ..  #  *  ^..  ■tr—' 


•  l.«t   jim-^ff'i'^  '*^*'  «    *--. 


'"*-V*-|fc.J-»« 


110 


INTRODUCTION. 


I 


between  the  prefixed  pronoun  and  the  verb  ;  and  a  reciprocal 
sense  by  inserting  atat.  Thus,  kiatatas,  I  put  in,  katiatatas, 
I  am  put  in  ;  kataiiatatas,  I  put  myself  in  ;  konnis,  I  make  ; 
katonnis,  I  am  made;  katatonnis,  I  make  myself.  This  sylla- 
ble at  is  probably  derived  from  the  word  oyata,  body,  which 
is  used  in  the  sense  of  "self,"  like  the  corresponding  word 
hakey  in  the  Delaware  language. 

The  "transitions,"  or  the  pronominal  forms  which  indicate 
the  passage  of  the  action  of  a  transitive  verb  from  the  agent 
to  the  object,  play  an  important  part  in  the  Iroquois  language. 
In  the  Algonkin  tongues  these  transitions  are  indicated 
partly  by  prefixed  pronouns,  and  partly  by  terminal  inflec- 
tions. In  the  Iroquois  the  subjective  and  objective  pronouns 
are  both  prefixed,  as  in  French.  In  that  language  "time 
j'<7//"  corresponds  precisely  with  RAKA/kafos,  "  he-me-sees," 
Here  the  pronouns,  m,  of  the  third  person,  and  ka  of  the 
first,  are  evident  enough.  In  other  cases  the  two  pronouns 
have  been  combined  in  a  form  which  shows  no  clear  trace 
of  either  of  the  simple  pronouns ;  as  in  hctsenonwes,  thou 
lovest  him,  and  Jiianomoes,  he  loves  thee.  These  combined 
pronouns  are  very  numerous,  and  vary,  like  the  simple  pro- 
nouns, in  the  five  conjugations. 

The  peculiar  forms  of  the  verb,  analogous  to  the  Semitic 
conjugations  are  very  numerous.  Much  of  the  force  and 
richness  of  the  language  depends  on  them.  M.  Cuoq  enum- 
erates— 

1.  The  diminutive  form,  which  affixes  ha;  as  knekirhanA, 
I  drink  a  little ;  konkwcnA  (from  onkwe,  man),  I  am  a  man, 
but  hardly  one  (/.  e.,  I  am  a  little  of  a  man). 

2.  The  augmentative,  of  which  tsi  is  the  affixed  sign  ;  as, 
knekirhavsi,  I  drink  much.  This  is  sometimes  lengthened  to 
tsihon;  as  wakatonte'\%\yiQ)'^,  I  understand  perfectly. 

3  and  4.  The  cislocative,  expressing  motion  towards  the 
speaker,   and   the    translocative,    indicating    motion    tend- 


.V   *''> 


■■'m»: 


TV ••■*-■  ^■ 


-.»..■-■•  vcr:;:*^. 


Tiiiriiii^-''ri> 


,^V 


THE   IROQUOIS    LANGUAGE. 


Ill 


ing  from  him.  The  former  has  /,  the  latter  ie  or  ia,  before 
the  verb,  as  tasatcnveiat,  come  in  ;  iasataweiat,  go  in. 

5.  The  duplicative,  which  prefixes  te,  expresses  an 
action  which  affects  two  or  more  ngcats  or  objects,  as  in 
betting,  marrying,  joining,  separating.  Thus,  from  ikiaks, 
I  cut,  we  have  tckiaks,  I  cut  in  two,  where  the  prefix  te  cor- 
responds to  the  Latin  hi  in  "  bisect.  The  same  form  is  used 
in  speaking  of  acts  done  by  those  organs  of  the  body,  such  as 
the  eyes  and  the  hands,  which  nature  has  made  double. 
Thus  tekasenthos,  I  weep,  is  never  used  except  in  this  form. 

6  The  reiterative  is  expressed  by  the  sound  of  s  prefixed  to 
the  verb.  It  sometimes  replaces  the  cislocative  sign  ;  tlius, 
tkahtcnties,  I  come  from  yonder ;  skahtenties,  I  come  again. 

7.  The  motional  is  a  form  which  by  some  is  considered  a 
special  future  tense.  Thus,  from  khiatons,  I  write,  we  have 
khiatonnes,  I  am  going  to  write ;  from  katerios,  I  fight, 
katerioseres,  I  am  going  to  the  war;  from  kesaks,  I  seek, 
kesakhes,  I  am  going  to  seek.  These  forms  are  irregular,  and 
can  only  be  learned  by  practice. 

8.  The  causative  suffix  is  tha ;  as  from  k'kowanen,  I  am 
great,  we  have  k' koioanaTHX,  I  make  great,  I  aggrandize. 
With  at  inserted  we  have  a  simulative  or  pretentious  form,  as 
katkowanaTUK,  1  make  myself  great,  I  pretend  to  be  great. 
The  same  affix  is  used  to  give  an  instrumental  sense  ;  as  from 
keriios,  I  kill,  we  have  keriio/nnK,  I  kill  him  with  such  a 
weapon  or  instrument. 

9.  The  progressive,  which  ends  in  tie  (sometimes  taking 
the  forms  atie,  hatie,  tatie),  is  much  used  to  give  the  sense  of 
becoming,  proceeding,  continuing,  and  the  like ;  as  jvakhia- 
tontie,  I  go  on  writing ;  'niakatrorihatie,  I  keep  on  talking ; 
wakeriwaicntatie ,  I  am  attending  to  the  business.  The  addi- 
tion of  an  J  to  this  form  adds  the  idea  of  plurality  or  diversity 
of  acts ;  thus,  tuakhiatonties,  I  go  on  writing  at  different 
times  and  places ;  wakatrorihatics,  I  keep  on  telling  the  thing, 
/.  (?.,  going  from  house  to  house. 


.'-..r-^    ,m-* 


112 


INTRODUCTION, 


I      1 


10.  The  attributive  has  various  forms,  which  can  only  be 
learned  by  practice  or  from  the  dictionaries.  It  expresses  an 
action  done  for  some  other  person  ;  as,  from  wakiote,  I  work, 
we  have  kiotense,  I  work  for  some  one  ;  from  katatis,  I  speak, 
katatiase,  I  speak  in  favor  of  some  one. 

11.  The  hal)itual  ends  in  kon.  From  katontats,  I  hear,  I 
consent,  we  have  wakatontatskon,  I  am  docile ;  from  katatis, 
I  speak,  7vakatatiatskon,  I  am  talkative. 

12.  The  frequentative  has  many  forms,  but  usually  ends  in 
on,  or  ons.  From  kh'tatons,  I  write,  we  have  in  this  form 
khiatonnions,  I  write  many  things ;  from  kaikahios,  I  look, 
katkahtonnions,  I  look  on  all  sides. 

These  are  not  all  the  forms  of  the  Iroquois  verb  ;  but 
enough  have  been  enumerated  to  give  some  idea  of  the  wealth 
of  the  language  in  such  derivatives,  and  the  power  of  varied 
expression  which  it  derives  from  this  source. 

The  Iroquois  has  many  particles  which,  like  those  of  the 
Greek  and  French  languages,  help  to  give  clearness  to  the 
style,  though  their  precise  meaning  cannot  always  be  gathered 
by  one  not  perfectly  familiar  with  the  language.  Ne  and 
nenc  are  frequently  used  as  substitutes  for  the  article  and  the 
relative  pronouns.  Oiienh,  now ;  kati,  then,  therefore  ;  ok, 
nok,  and  ncok,  and ;  oni  and  neoni,  also ;  toka  and  tokat,  if, 
perhaps;  tsi,  when;  k'Uito,  here;  akrcah,  indeed,  very; 
etho,  thus,  so  ;  are,  sometimes,  again  ;  ken,  an  interrogative 
particle,  like  the  Latin  ne — these  and  some  others  will  be 
found  in  the  Book  of  Rites,  employed  in  the  manner  in  which 
they  are  still  used  by  the  best  speakers. 

It  must  be  understood  that  the  foregoing  sketch  affords 
only  the  barest  outline  of  the  formation  of  the  Iroquois  lan- 
guage. As  has  been  before  remarked,  a  complete  grammar 
of  this  speech,  as  full  and  minute  as  the  best  Sanscrit  or 
Greek  grammars,  would  probably  equal  and  perhaps  surpass 
those  grammars  in  extent.  The  unconscious  forces  of  memory 
and  of  discrimination  required  to  maintain  this  complicated 


(     -i 


i    r 


.-.,' 


»<=:»*.,  ^ 


THE    IROQUOIS    LANGUAGE. 


113 


intellectual  machine,  and  to  preserve  it  constantly  exact  and 
in  good  working  order,  must  be  prodigious.  Yet  a  com- 
parison of  Bruyas'  work  with  the  language  of  the  present  day 
shows  that  this  purpose  has  been  accomplished;  and,  what  is 
still  more  remarkable,  a  comparison  of  the  Iroquois  with  the 
Huron  grammar  shows  that  after  a  separation  which  must 
have  exceeded  five  hundred  years,  and  has  probably  covered 
twice  that  term,  the  two  languages  differ  less  from  one 
another  than  the  French  of  the  twelfth  century  differed  from 
the  Italian,  or  than  the  Anglo-Saxon  of  King  Alfred  differed 
from  the  contemporary  Low  German  speech.  Tlie  forms  of 
the  Huron-Iroquois  languages,  numerous  and  complicated  as 
they  are,  appear  to  be  certainly  not  less  persistent,  and  pro- 
bably better  maintained,  than  those  of  the  written  Aryan 
tongues. 


!  M 


' : 


ll 


i 


'  *'mimms^'^BSSi^lt^- 


ANCIENT   RITES 


OF  THE 


CONDOLING  COUNCIL. 


■i 


m    f 


^ 


I   »!• 


OKAYONDONGHSERA  YONDENNASE. 


OGHENTONH  KARIGHWATEGHKWENH 


t 


Devughnyonkvvarakta,  Ratiyats. 

T.  Oncnh  weghniserade  wakatyercnkowa  dcsawenna- 
wenrate  ne  kentcyurhoton.  Dcsahahishonnc  donwen- 
ghratstanyonne  ne  kcntekaghronglnvanyon.  Tesatkagh- 
toghscrontye  ronatcnnosscndonghkwe  yonkwanikongh- 
taghlcwcnnc,  konycnnctaghkwcn.  Ne  katykenh  nayo- 
yaneratye  ne  ranikonra?  Daghsatkaghthoghscronne 
ratiyanarenyon  onkwaghsotsherashonkcnhha;  neok  det- 
kanoron  ne  shekonh  ayuyenkwaroglithake  jiratighro- 
tonghkwakwe.  Ne  katykenh  nayuyaneratye  ne  sani- 
konra  desakaghserentonyonne  ? 

2.  Niyawehkowa  katy  nonwa  onenh  skcnnenji  thisaya- 
tirhehon.  Onenli  nonwa  oghseronnih  dcnighroghkwayen. 
Hasekenh  tliiwakwekonh  deyunennyatenyon  nene  kon- 
nerhonyon,  "  le  henskerighwaghtontc. "  Kenyutnyonk- 
waratonnyon,  ncony  kenyotdakarahon,  neony  kenkonti- 
faghsoton.  Nedens  aesayatyenenglidon,  konyennedagh- 
kwen,  neony  kenkaghnckonyon  nedens  aesayatyenengli- 
don, konyennethaghkwen,  neony  kenwaseraketotanese 
kentewaghsatayenha  kanonglisakdatye.  Niyatewcghnise- 
rakeh  yonkwakaronny ;  onidatkon  yaghdekakonghsonde 
oghsonteraghkowa  nedens  aesayatyenenglidon,  konyenne- 
thaghkwen. 

116 


\  \  «•>««•!  .%]»•«>'« 


ANCIENT  RITES  OF  THE  CONDOLING  COUNCIL. 


THE  PRELIMINARY  CEREMONY  : 

Called,  "At  the  Wood's  Edge." 

1.  Now'  to-day  I  have  been  greatly  startled  by  your 
voice  coming  through  the  forest  to  this  opening.  You 
have  come  with  troubled  mind  through  all  obstacles. 
You  kept  seeing  the  places  where  they  met  on  whom 
we  depended,  my  offspring.  How  then  can  your  mind 
be  at  ease?  You  kept  seeing  the  footmarks  of  our  fore- 
fathers; and  all  but  perceptible  is  the  smoke  where  they 
used  to  smoke  the  pipe  together.  Can  then  your  mind 
be  at  ease  when  you  arc  weeping  on  your  way? 

2.  Great  thanks  now,  therefore,  that  you  have  safelv 
arrived.  Now,  then,  let  us  smoke  the  pipe  together. 
Because  all  around  are  hostile  agencies  which  are  each 
thinking,  "I  will  frustrate  their  purpose."  Here  thorny 
ways,  and  here  falling  trees,  and  here  wild  beasts  lying 
in  ambush.  Either  by  these  you  might  have  perished, 
my  offspring,  or,  here  by  floods  you  might  have  been 
destroyed,  my  offspring,  or  by  the  uplifted  hatchet  in  the 
dark  outside  the  house.  hA'crj'  day  these  are  wasting  us; 
or  deadly  invisible  disease  might  have  destroyed  you, 
my  offspring. 


1  The  paragraphs  are  not  numliered  in  the  orii;inal  text.     The  numbers 
are  prefixed  in  this  work  merely  for  convenience  cf  reference. 

117 


ii 


ji  I 


( 


V 


118 


THE   BOOK   OF   RITES. 


3.  Niyawenhkowa  kady  nonwa  onenh  skenncnjy  tlia- 
desarhadiyakonh.  Hasckcnh  kanoron  jinayawenhon 
nene  aesahhahiycncnhon,  none  ayakotyerenhon  ayaka- 
wen,  "  Issy  tycyadakcron,  akwah  deyakonakorondon !  " 
Ayakaweron  oghnonnokenh  niyuterenhhatye,  ne  kon- 
yennedaghkwen. 

4.  Rotirighwison  onkwaghsotshera,  ne  ronenh,  "  Ken- 
henyondatsjistaycnhaghse.  Kcndeyughnyonkwarakda 
eghtenyontatitenranyon  orighokonha."  Kcnsane  yesho- 
tiriwaycn  orighwal<wckonh  yatenkarighwentaseron,  nene 
akwah  denyontatyadoghseronko.  Neony  ne  ronenh, 
"  Ethononweh  ycnyontatcnonshine,  kanakdakwenniyukeh 
yenyontatideron." 

5.  Onenli  kady  iesc  sewerj-enghskwe  satliaghyon- 
nighshon : 

Karhatyonni. 

Oghskawaserenhon. 
Gentiyo. 
Onenyute. 
Descrokenh. 
Deghhodij  inharakwenh. 
Oghrekyonny. 
Deyuyewenton. 
Etho  ne  niwa  ne  akotthaghyonnishon. 

6.  Onenh  nene  shehhavvah  deyakodarakeh  ranyagh- 
denghshon : 

Kancghsadakeh. 
Onkvvehieyede. 
Waghkerhon. 
Kahhendohhon. 
Dhogwenyoh. 
Kayyhekwarakeh. 
Etho  ne  niwa  ne  ranyaghdcnshon. 


<ii/ 


.  A 


THE    BOOK    OF    RITES. 


119 


3.  Great  thanks  now,  therefore,  that  in  safety  you  have 
come  through  the  forest.  Because  lamentable  would 
have  been  the  consequences  had  you  perished  by  the 
way,  and  the  startling  word  had  come,  "Yonder  are 
lying  bodies,  yea,  and  of  chiefs!  "  And  they  would  have 
thought  in  dismay,  what  had  happened,  my  offspring. 

4.  Our  forefathers  made  the  rule,  and  said,  "  Here 
they  are  to  kindle  a  fire;  here,  at  the  edge  of  the  woods, 
they  are  to  condole  with  each  othc  n  few  words."  But 
they  have  referred  thither'  all  bus  s  to  be  duly  com- 
pleted, as  well  as  for  the  mutual  embrace  of  condolence. 
And  they  said,  "Thither  shall  they  be  led  by  the  hand, 
and  shall  be  placed  on  the  principal  seat." 

5 .  Now,  therefore,  you  who  are  our  friends  of  the  Wolf  clan : 

In  John  Buck's  MS.  Supposed  Meaning. 

Ka  rhe  tyon  ni.  The  broad  woods. 

Ogh  ska  wa  se  ron  hon.         Grown  up  to  bushes  again. 

Beautiful  plain. 


Gea  di  yo. 

O  nen  yo  deh. 

De  se  ro  ken. 

Te  ho  di  jen  ha  ra  kwen. 

Ogh  re  kyon  ny. 

Te  yo  we  yen  don. 


Protruding  stone. 
Between  two  lines. 
Two  families  in  a  long-house, 
(Doubtful.)  [one  at  each  end. 
Drooping  wings. 
Such  is  the  extent  of  the  Wolf  clan. 
6.  Now,  then,  thy  children  of  the  two  clans  of  the  Tortoise : 
Ka  nc  sa  da  keh.  •      On  the  hill  side. 

Onkwi  i  ye  de.  A  person  standing  there. 

Wegh  ke  rhon.  (Doubtful.) 

Kah  ken  doh  hon.  " 

Tho  gwen  yoh.  ** 

Kah  he  kwa  ke.  " 

Such  is  the  extent  of  the  Tortoise  clan. 
1  That  is,  to  the  Council  House. 


I 


n^ 


V      ', 


120 


THE    BOOK   OF   RITES. 


I     tl 


i! 


if 


I'. 


('? 


7.  Oncnh  ncne  jadadekcn  roskerewake: 

Dc\'aokcnh. 
Jonondcso. 
Otskwirakeron. 
Onaweron. 

8.  Oncnh  nenc  onghwa  kchaglishonha: 

Karhawenghradongli. 

Karakcnh. 

Deyuhhcro. 

Dcyughsweken. 

Oxdenkeh. 
Etho  ne  niwa  roghskerewake. 
Eghnikatarakcghne  orighwakayongh. 

9.  Ne  kaghyaton  jinikawennakeh  ne  devvadadenonwe- 
ronh,  "  ohhendonh  karighwadeghkwenh  "  radiyats.  Doka 
enyairon,  "  Konycnncdaghkwen,  oncnh  vveghniscrade 
yonkwatkcnnison.  Rawcnniyo  raweghniscronnyh.  Ne 
onwa  konwcndc  yonkwatkcnnison  ncnc  jiniyuncghra- 
kwah  jinisayadawcn.  Oncnh  onghwcnjakonh  niyonsa- 
kahhawcjinonwchnadckakaghncronnyonghkwc.  Akwah 
kady  okaghscrakonh  thadetyatroghkwanckenh. 

10.  "Oncnh  kady  yakwenronh,  wakwcnnyonkoghde 
okaghscry,  akwah  kady  ok  skenncn  thadenseghsatkagh- 
thonnyonhhckc. 

II."  Nok  ony  kanckhcrc  deyughsihharaonh  nc  sahon- 
dakon.  Oncnh  kady  watyakwagh.siharako  waahkwade- 
weyendonh  tsisaronkatah,  kady  nayawcnh  nc  skenncn 
thensathondckc  cnhtycwcnninekcnnch. 

12.  "Nok  ony  kanckhcrc  deyughsihharaonh  desan- 
yatokcnh.  Oncnh  kady  hone  yakwenronh  watyakwagh- 
sihharanko,  akwah  kady  ok  skenncn  dcghscwenninekcnne 
dendewadatenonghweradon. 


THE   BOOK   OF   RITES. 


121 


7.  Now  these  thy  brothers  of  the  Bear  clan : 
De  ya  oken.  The  Forks. 

Jo  non  de  seh.  It  is  a  high  hill. 

Ots  kwe  ra  ke  ron.  Dry  branches  fallen  to  the 

Ogh  na  we  ron.  The  springs.  [ground. 

8.  Now  these  have  been  added  lately : 


Ka  rho  wengh  ra  don. 
Ka  ra  ken. 
De  yo  he  ro. 
De  yo  swe  ken. 
Ox  den  ke. 

Such  is  the  extent  of  the  Bear  clan. 

These  were  the  clans  in  ancient  times. 


Taken  over  the  woods. 

White. 

The  place  of  flags  (rushes). 

Outlet  of  the  river. 

To  the  old  place. 


9.  Thus  are  wr'ttcn  the  words  of  mutual  greeting, 
called  "the  opening  ceremony."  Then  one  will  say, 
"  My  offspring,  now  this  day  we  are  met  together.  God 
has  appointed  this  day.  Now,  to-day,  we  are  met 
together,  on  account  of  the  solemn  event  which  has 
befallen  you.  Now  into  the  earth  he  has  been  conveyed 
to  whom  we  have  been  wont  to  look.  Yea,  therefore,  in 
tears  let  us  smoke  together. 

10.  "  Now,  then,  we  say,  we  wipe  away  the  tears,  so 
that  in  peace  you  may  look  about  you. 

11.  "And,  further,  we  suppose  there  is  an  obstruction 
in  your  ears.  Now,  then,  we  remove  the  obstruction 
carefully  from  your  hearing,  so  that  we  trust  you  will 
easily  hear  the  words  spoken. 

12.  "And  also  we  imagine  there  is  an  obstruction  in 
your  throat.  Now,  therefore,  we  say,  we  remove  the 
obstruction,  so  that  you  may  speak  freely  in  our  mutual 
greetings. 


1 


l      1« 


r 


\  *  \. 


XK 


122 


THE   BOOK   OF    RITES. 


13.  Onenh  are  oya,  konycnnethaghkwen.  Nene  kadon 
yuneghrakwah  jinesadawen.  Niyadcwcghniserakeh  sa- 
nekherenhonh  ratikowanenghskwe.  Onghwcnjakonh 
niyeskahhaghs ;  ken-ony  rodighskenrakeghdethaghkwe, 
ken-ony  sanheghtyensera,  ken-ony  saderesera.  Akwagh 
kady  ok  onekwenghdarihcngh  thisennckwakenry. 

14.  Onenh  kady  yakwenronh  wakvvanekwenghdaro- 
kewanyon  jisanakdade,  ogh  kady  nenyawenne  sewegh- 
niserathagh  ne  akwah  ok  skennen  then  kanakdiyuhake 
ji  enghsitskodake  denghsatkaghdonnyonheke. 


15.  Onenh  nene  Karenna, 

YONDONGHS   "AlHAIGH." 

Kayanerenh  dcskenonghweronne ; 
Kheyadawenh  dcskenonghweronne ; 
Oyenkondonh  dcskenonghweronne ; 
Wakonnyh  deskenonghweron  ne. 
Ronkeghsotah  rotirighwane, — 
Ronkeghsota  jiyathondek. 

16.  Enskat  ok  enjerennokden  nakwah  oghnaken  nyare 
enyonghdentyonko  kanonghsakonghshon,  enyairon : 

17.  "A-i  Raxhottahyh!  Onenh  kajatthondek  onenh 
enyontsdaren  ne  yetshiyadare !  Neji  onenh  wakarigh- 
wakayonne  ne  sewarighwisahnonghkwe  ne  kayarengh- 
kowah.     Ayawenhenstokenghske  daondayakotthondeke. 

18.  "Na-i  Raxhottahyh!  Ne  kenne  iesewenh  enya- 
kodenghthe  nene  noghnaken  enyakaonkodaghkwe. 

19.  "  Na-i  Raxhottahyh !  Onenh  nonwa  kathonghnon- 
weh  dhatkonkoghdaghkwanyon  jidenghnonhon  nitthati- 
righwayerathaghkwe." 


mi  R.. 


,  !P?'.nuT.- j..«--  . 


THE    BOOK   OF    RITES. 


123 


13.  "Now  again  another  thing,  my  offspring.  I  have 
spoken  of  the  solemn  event  which  has  befallen  you. 
Every  day  you  arc  losing  your  great  men.  They  are 
being  borne  into  the  earth;  also  the  warriors,  and  also 
your  women,  and  also  your  grandchildren;  so  that  in  the 
midst  of  blood  you  are  sitting. 

14.  "  Now,  therefore,  we  say,  we  wash  off  the  blood- 
marks  from  your  seat,  so  that  it  may  be  for  a  time  that 
happily  the  place  will  be  clean  where  you  are  seated  and 
looking  around  you." 


15.  Now  the  Hymn, 

Callkh  "Hail." 

I  come  again  to  greet  and  thank  the  League  ; 
I  come  again  to  greet  and  thank  the  kindred ; 
I  come  again  to  greet  and  thank  the  warriors  ; 
I  come  again  to  greet  and  thank  the  women. 
My  forefathers, — what  they  established, — 
My  forefathers, — hearken  to  them! 

16.  The  last  verse  is  sung  yet  again,  while  he  walks 
to  and  fro  in  the  hou.se,  and  says : 

17.  "  Hail,  my  grandsires!  Now  hearken  while  your 
grandchildren  cry  mournfully  to  you, — because  the  Great 
League  which  you  established  has  grown  old.  We  hope 
that  they  may  hear. 

18.  "  Hail,  my  grandsires!  You  have  said  that  .sad 
will  be  the  fate  of  those  who  come  in  the  latter  times. 

19.  "Oh,  my  grandsires!  Even  now  I  may  have 
failed  to  perform  this  ceremony  in  the  order  in  which 
they  were  wont  to  perform  it." 


slt^. 


.'^..jt^.^AV*    ••fli»'-*r*-  * 


.-v.--.^^^,^ 


m 


124 


THE    BOOK    OF    RITES. 


20.  "Na-i  Raxhottahyh!  Ncne  ji  oncnh  wakarigh- 
wakayonnc  ne  scwaris^lnvisahnonghkwc,  nc  Kayarcngh- 
kowa.  Ycjiscwatkonscraghkvvanyon  onghwcnjakonshon 
ycjiscwayadakcron,  se\vai'iy;lnvi.salinhonk\ve  ne  Kayanc- 
rcnhkowah.  Nc  sanekenh  ne  scwcghne  aerengh  niyengh- 
henwe  cnyurighwadatye  Kayanerenghkowah." 

21.  Eghnikonh  enyerighwawetharho  kenthoh,  are  eii- 
jondercnnoden  cnskat  enjerenokden,  onenh  ethone  enya- 
kohetsde  onenh  are  enjondentyonko  kanonghsakongh- 
shon,  enyairon  wahhy: 

22.  "A-i  Raxhotthahyh !  Onenh  jattliondek  kady 
nonwa  jinihhotiyerenli, — orighwakwckonli  natehaotiya- 
doreglitonh,  nenc  roncronh  ne  enyononghsaghnirafcton. 
A-i  Raxhotthahyh!  nene  ronenh:  'Onen  nonwa  wete- 
wayennendane ;  wetewennakeraghdanyon ;  watidewenna- 
karondonnyon. ' 

23.  "  Onenh  are  oya  eghdeshotiyadorcghdonh,  nene 
ronenh:  '  Kenkisenh  nenyawenne.  Aghsonli  thiyenjide- 
watyenghsacke,  onok  enjonkwanckhercn. '  Nene  ronenli : 
'Kenkine  nenyawenne.  Aghsonh  denyakokwanentongh- 
saeke,  onok  denjontadenakarondako.  Nene  doka  ok 
yadayakonakarondatyeonghwcnjakonh  niyaonsakahawe, 
A-i  Raxhottahyh,'  nene  ronenh,  'da-edcwenhheye  onghteh, 
neok  yada\'akonakarondatye  onghwenjakonh  niyaon- 
sakahawe. ' 

24.  "  Onenh  are  oya  eghdeshodiyadorcghtonh,  nai 
Raxhottahyh!  Nene  ronenh  ne  enyononghsaghniratston. 
Nene  ronengli :  '  Doka  onwa  kenenyondatyadawengh- 
date,  ne  kenkarenyakeglirondonhah  ne  nayakoghstonde 
ne  nayeghnyasakcnradakc,  ne  kenh  ne  iesewcnh,  kenkine 
nenyawenne.  Kendenyethirentyonnite  kanhonghdakde 
dewaghsadayenhah. 


THE    BOOK   OF    RITES. 


125 


20.  "Oh,  my  grandsires!  Even  now  that  has  become 
o!''  which  you  established, — the  Great  League.  You 
have  it  as  a  pillow  under  your  heads  in  the  ground  where 
you  are  lying, — this  Great  League  which  you  established; 
although  you  said  that  far  away  in  the  future  the  Great 
League  would  endure." 


21.  So  much  is  to  be  said  here,  and  the  Hymn  is  to 
be  sung  again,  and  then  he  is  to  go  on  and  walk  about 
in  the  house  again,  saying  as  follows: 

22.  "Hail,  my  grandsires!  Now  hear,  therefore,  what 
they  lid — all  the  rules  they  decided  on,  which  they 
thought  would  strengthen  the  House.  Hail,  my  grand- 
sires! this  they  said:  '  Now  we  have  finished;  we  have 
performed  the  rites;  we  have  put  on  the  horns.' 

23.  "  Now  again  another  thing  they  considered,  and 
this  they  said :  '  Perhaps  this  will  happen.  Scarcely 
shall  we  have  arrived  at  home  when  a  loss  will  occur 
again.'  They  said,  'This,  then,  shall  be  done.  As  soon 
as  he  is  dead,  even  then  the  horns  shall  be  taken  off.  For 
if  invested  with  horns  he  should  be  borne  into  the  grave,' 
oh,  my  grandsires,  they  said,  'we  should  perhaps  all 
perish  if  invested  with  horns  he  is  conveyed  to  the 
grave.' 

24.  "Then  again  another  thing  they  determined,  oh 
my  grandsires!  'This,'  they  said,  'will  strengthen  the 
House.'  They  said,  if  any  one  should  be  murdered  and 
[the  body]  be  hiddsn  away  among  fallen  trees  by  reason 
of  the  neck  being  white,  then  you  have  said,  this  shall 
be  done.     We  will  place  it  by  the  wall  in  the  shade. 


n 


;:ja.,— .-^mu^ii 


III. I   laiti^^aaaa 


126 


THE   BOOK  OF   RITES. 


I 


M     i 


25.  "  Onenh  are  oya  eghdcjisewayudoreghdonh,  nene 
isowenh :  '  Yahhonghdchdoyoyancrc  ncnc  kcnwcdcwayen, 
onwa  cnyckcii  nonkwadcrescra ;  kadykcnh  niyakoghs- 
wathali,  akvvckonh  nityakawcnonhtonh  nc  kenyotcranen- 
tenyonhah.  Enyontcrenjiok  kendonsaycdane  akwah 
enyakonewarontyc,  onok  cnycrighwancndon  oghnikawen- 
honh  nc  kendeycrcntyonny;  katykcnh  nenyakoranc  nen- 
yerighwancndon  akare  onenh  enyakodokcnghse.  Onok 
na  entkcTghwadaschhon  nakonikonra,  onenh  are  ne  eh 
enjonkwakaronny.' 

26.  "Onenh  are  oya  eghdeshotiyadoreghdonh,  nen.- 
ronenh :  '  Kenkine  nenyawenne.  Endewaghneghdotako 
skarenhhesekowah,  envvadonghwenjadethare  eghyendewa- 
senghte  tyoghnawatenghjihonh  kathonghdch  thienkah- 
hawe ;  onenh  denghnon  dentidewaghneghdoten,  onenh 
denghnon  yaghnonwendonh  thiyaensayeken  nonkwate- 
resera.' 

27.  "  Onenh  are  oya  eghdeshotiyadoreghdonh,  nene 
roneronh  ne  enyonongh.saghniratston.  Nene  ronenh : 
'  Onenli  wedevvaweyennendane ;  wedewcnnakeraghdan- 
yon.  Doka  nonkenh  onghwajok  onok  enjonkwanek- 
heren.  Ken  kady  ne  nenyawenne.  Kenhendewaghna- 
tatsherodarho  ken  kanakaryonniha  deyunhonghdoyengh- 
dongh  yendewanaghsenghde,  kennikanaghseshah,  ne 
enyehharako  ne  kaneka  akonikonghkahdeh.  Enwadon 
ok  jiyudakenrokde  thadenyedane  doghkara  nentyewen- 
ninekenne  enjondatenikonghketsko  ne  enyenikonghkwen- 
ghdarakc.  Onokna  enjeyewendane  yenjonthahida  ne 
kayanercnghkowa.' 

28.  "  Onenh  kady  ise  jadakwcniyu  ken  Kanonghsyonny, 
Dekanawidah,  ne  deghniwenniyu  ne  rohhawah  Odads- 
heghte  ;  onenh  nene  yeshodonnyh  Wathadodarho ;  onenh 
nene  yeshohowah  akahenyonh ;  onare  nene  yeshodonnyh 


THE   BOOK   OF   RITES. 


127 


25.  "Now  again  you  considered  and  you  said:  'It  is 
perhaps  not  well  that  we  leave  this  here,  lest  it  should 
be  seen  by  our  grandchildren  ;  for  they  are  troublesome, 
prying  into  every  crevice.  People  will  be  startled  at 
their  returning  in  consternation,  and  will  ask  what  has 
happened  that  this  (corpse)  is  lying  here ;  because  they 
will  keep  on  asking  until  they  find  it  out.  And  they 
will  at  once  be  disturbed  in  mind,  and  that  again  will 
cause  us  trouble.' 

26.  "Now  again  they  decided,  and  said:  'This  shall 
be  done.  We  will  pull  up  a  pine  tree — a  lofty  tree — and 
will  make  a  hole  through  the  earth-crust,  and  will  drop 
this  thing  into  a  swift  current  which  will  carry  it  out  of 
sight,  and  then  never  will  our  grandchildren  see  it 
again.' 

27.  "  Now  again  another  thing  they  decided,  and 
thought,  this  will  strengthen  the  House.  They  said: 
'Now  we  have  finished;  we  have  performed  the  rites. 
Perhaps  presently  it  will  happen  that  a  loss  will  occur 
amongst  us.  Then  this  shall  be  done.  We  will  suspend 
a  pouch  upon  a  pole,  and  will  place  in  it  some  mourning 
wampum — some  short  strings — to  be  taken  to  the  place 
where  the  loss  was  suffered.  The  bearer  will  enter,  and 
will  stand  by  the  hearth,  and  will  speak  a  few  words 
to  comfort  those  who  will  be  mourning;  and  then 
they  will  be  comforted,  and  will  conform  to  the  great 
law.' 

28.  "Now,  then,  thou  wert  the  principal  of  this  Confed- 
eracy, Dekanawidah,  with  the  joint  principal,  his  son, 
Odadshcghte;  and  then  again  his  uncle,  Wathadodarho; 
and  also  again  his  son,  Akahenyonh;  and  again  his  uncle, 


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128 


THE   BOOK   OF   RITES. 


Kanyadariyu;  oncnh  nene  yeshonarasc  Shadckaronyes; 
onenh  nene  onj^hvva  kolihaghsaonhah  ycjodcnaghstah- 
herc  kanaghsdajikowah." 

29.  Onenh  jatthondek  scwarihwisaanonghkwe  Kaya- 
renhkowah.  Oncnh  wakarighvvakayonnc.  Oncnli  ne 
oknc  joskawaycndon.  Yctsiscwancnyadanyon  nc  scwari- 
wisaanonghkwch.  Ycjiscvvahhawihtonh,  yctsiscwcnnits- 
karahgwanyon ;  agwah  ncok  ne  skacndaycndun.  Etho 
yetsiscwanonwadaryon.  Scwarihwisaanonghkwe  yctsise- 
wahliawitonh.  Yetsisevvatgon.scraghkwanyon  scwarihwi- 
saanonghkwe, Kayanercnhkowah. 

30.  Oncnh  kady  jatthondek  jadakwcniyosaon  scwarih- 
wisaanonghkwe : 

Drkarihaokenh ! 
Jatthontcnyonk! 
Jatagweniyosaon, 

Ayonhwahtha ! 
Jatthontcnyonk! 
Jatagweniyosaon, 

Shatekahiwate ! 
Etho  natejonhne! 
Sewatcrihwakhaonghkwe, 
Sewarihwisaanonghkwc, 
Kayanercnhkowah. 

31.  Jatthontcnyonk! 
Jatagweniyosaon, 

Sharenhaovvane  ! 

Jatthontcnyonk! 
Jatagweniyosaon, 

Deyonnhehgonh  t 
Jatthontcnyonk ! 
Jatagweniyosaon, 


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THE    BOOK   OF   RITES. 


129 


Kanyadariyu  ;  and  tlicn  a^ain  liii  cousin,  Sliadckaronvos  ; 
and  then  in  later  times  additions  were  made  to  the  great 
edifice." 


(    i 


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29.  Now  hsten,  ye  who  established  the  Great  League. 
Now  it  has  become  old.  Now  there  is  nothing  but  wil- 
derness. Ye  are  in  your  graves  who  established  it.  Ye 
have  taken  it  with  you,  and  have  placed  it  under  you, 
and  there  is  nothing  left  but  a  desert.  There  ye  have 
taken  your  intellects  with  you.  What  ye  e.stablished  ye 
have  taken  with  you.  Ye  have  placed  under  your  heads 
what  ye  established — the  Great  League. 

30.  Now,   then,    hearken,   ye   who   were    rulers   and 

founders: 

Tehkauiuhoken  !  * 

Continue  to  listen ! 
Thou  wlio  wcrt  ruler, 

Hayunwatha  ! 
Continue  to  listen ! 
Thou  who  wert  ruler, 

Shaokkahihwade  ! 

That  was  the  .  .11  of  you, 
You  who  were  joined  in  the  work, 
You  who  completed  the  work. 
The  Great  League. 

31.  Continue  to  listen! 
Thou  who  wert  ruler, 

Sharenhhowane ! 
Continue  to  listen ! 
Thou  who  wert  ruler, 

Teiiyonheghkwen  ! 
Continue  to  listen ! 
Thou  who  wcrt  ruler, 

1  The  names  in  tins  version  are  in  the  orthography  of  John  Buck's  MS. 


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130 


THE   BOOK  OF   RITES. 

Oghrenregowah  ! 
Etho  natejonhne ! 
Sewaterihwakhaonghkwe, 
Sewarihwisaanonghkwe, 
Kayanerenhkowah. 

32.  Jatthontenyonk ! 
Jatagweniyosaon, 

Dehennakarine  ! 
Jatthontenyonk ! 
Jatagweniyosaon, 

Aghstawenserontha  ! 
Jatthontenyonk ! 
Jatagweniyosaon, 

Shosgoharowane  ! 
Etho  natejonhne, 
Sewatarihwakhaonghkwe, 
Sewarihwisaanonghkwe, 
Kayanerenhkowah. 

33.  Ise  seniyatagweniyohkwe, 
Jatathawhak. 
Scnirighwisaanonghkwe, 
Kayanercnghkowah. 

Ne  deseniycnah; 
Seninonsyonnitonh. 
Onenh  katy  jatthontenyonk 
Jatakweniyosaon, 

Odatseghte  ! 
Jatthontenyonk ! 
Jatakweniyosaon, 

Kanonhgwenyodon ! 
Jatthontenyonk ! 
Jatakweniyosaon, 

Deyohhagwente  ! 
Etho  natejonhne! 
Sewaterihwakhaonghkwe. 
Sewarihwisaanonghkwe, 
Kayanerenhkowah. 


i  I  f. 


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THE   BOOK  OF   RITES. 


131 


OWENHEGHKOHNA ! 

That  was  the  roll  ot  you, 
You  who  were  joined  in  the  work, 
You  who  completed  the  work, 
The  Great  League. 

32.  Continue  to  listen ! 
Thou  who  wert  ruler, 

Tehhennaghkarihne  ! 
Continue  to  listen ! 
Thou  who  wert  ruler, 

Aghstawensekonttha  ! 
Continue  to  listen ! 
Thou  who  wert  ruler, 

Shaghskoharowane ! 
That  was  the  roll  of  you, 
You  who  were  joined  in  the  work, 
You  who  completed  the  work. 
The  Great  Leaj^aie. 

33.  Ye  two  were  principals. 
Father  and  son. 

Ye  two  completed  the  work, 
The  Great  League. 
Ye  two  aided  each  other. 
Ye  two  founded  the  House. 
Now,  therefore,  hearken ! 
Thou  who  wert  ruler, 

Odatseghdeh  ! 
Continue  to  listen! 
Thou  who  wert  ruler, 

Kahnonkwenyah  ! 
Continue  to  listen ! 
Thou  who  wert  ruler, 

Tehyohhakwendeh  ! 
That  was  the  roll  of  you, 
You  who  were  joined  in  the  work, 
You  who  completed  the  work, 
Tiic  Great  League. 


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132  THE   BOOK   OF   RITES. 

34.  Jatthontenyonk ! 
Jatakweniyosaon, 

Shononsksk  ! 
Jatthontenyonk! 
Jatakweniyosaon, 

Daonahkokenagh ! 
Jatthontenyonk ! 
Jatakweniyosaon, 

Atyatonnenhtha ! 
Etho  natejonhne ! 
Sewaterihwakhaonghkwe, 
Sewarihwisaanonghkwe, 
Kayanerenhkowah. 

35.  Jatthontenyonk! 
Jatakweniyosaon, 

Dkwatahonhtenyonk ! 
Jatthontenyonk! 
Jatakweniyosaon, 

Kaniyatahshayonk  ! 
Jatthontenyonk! 
Jatakweniyosaon, 

Onwatsatonhonh  ! 
Etho  natejonhne! 
Sewaterihwakhaonjjjhkwe, 
Sewarihwieaanonghkwe, 
Kayanerenhkowah. 

36.  Eghyesaotonnihsen  : 
Onenh  jatthontenyonk! 
Jatakweniyosaon, 

Thatotarho ! 
Jatthontenyonk! 
Etho  ronarasehsen  : 
Jatakweniyosaon, 

Enneserarenh  ! 
Jatthontenyonk ! 
Jatakweniyosaon, 


I 


i    IV 


THE    BOOK   OF   RITES. 

34.  Continue  to  listen! 
Thou  who  wert  ruler, 

Shononghseseh  ! 
Continue  to  listen ! 
Thou  who  wert  ruler, 

Thon'Aeghkenah  ! 
Continue  to  listen ! 
Thou  who  wert  ruler, 

Hahtyadonnentha ! 
That  was  the  roll  of  you, 
You  who  were  joined  in  the  work, 
You  who  completed  the  work. 
The  Great  League. 

35.  Continue  to  listen! 
Thou  who  wert  ruler, 

Tehwahtahontenyonk  ! 
Continue  to  listen! 
Thou  who  wert  ruler, 

Kahnyadaghshayen ! 
Continue  to  listen! 
Thou  who  wert  ruler, 

Honvvatshadonneh  ! 
That  was  the  roll  of  you. 
You  who  were  joined  in  the  work, 
You  who  com]3leted  the  work. 
The  great  League. 

36.  These  were  his  uncles  : 
Now  hearken ! 

Thou  who  wert  ruler, 

Wathadotarho  : 
Continue  to  listen! 
These  were  the  cousins : 
Thou  who  wert  ruler, 

ONEHSf:A(iHHi:N  ! 

Continue  to  listen ! 
Thou  who  wert  ruler, 


133 


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134  THE   BOOK   OF   RITES. 

Dehatkahthos  ! 
Jatthontenyonk! 
Waghontenhnonterontye. 
Jatakweniyosaon , 

Onyatajiwak  ! 
Jatthontenyonk ! 
Jatakweniyosaon, 

AWEKENYADE  ! 
Jatthontenyonk ! 
Jatakweniyosaon, 

Dehavadkwarayen  ! 
Etho  natejonhne! 

37.  Yeshohawak : 
Rokwahhokowah. 
Etho  kakeghrondakwe 
Ne  kanikonghrashon, 

RONONGHWIREGHTONH ! 

Etho  natejonhne! 

38.  Etho  yeshotonnyh, 
Tekadarakehne. 

Kawenenserondon  ! 
Haghriron  ! 
Etho  nadehhadihne! 

39.  Wahhondennonterontye, 

Ronyennyennih  ! 

Shodakwarashonh  ! 

Shakokknghne ! 
Etho  nadejonhne! 

40.  Etho  niyawenonh, 
Karihwakayonh. 
Shihonadewiraratye, 
Tehhodidarakeh. 
Rakowanenh, 


firrs.-a«i.*r:ja» 


ilUliiUfiM 


THE    BOOK   OF    RITES, 


135 


Tehhatkahdons  ! 
Continue  to  listen ! 
These  were  as  brothers  thenceforth  : 
Thou  who  wert  ruler, 

Skaniadajiwak  : 
Continue  to  listen ! 
Thou  who  wert  ruler, 

AWEAKENYAT  ! 

Continue  to  listen ! 
Thou  who  wert  ruler, 

Tehayatkwaven  ! 
That  was  the  roll  of  you  ! 

37.  Then  his  son  : 

He  is  the  great  Wolf. 
There  were  combined 
The  many  minds ! 

HONONWIREHDONH  ! 

That  was  the  roll  of  you. 

38.  These  were  his  uncles, 
Of  the  two  clans : 

Kawenenseaghtonh  ! 
Hahhihhonh  ! 
That  was  the  roll  of  them ! 

39.  These  were  as  brothers  thenceforth 

Hohyunhnyennih  ! 
Shotehgwaseh  ! 
Shahkohkenneh ! 
This  was  the  roll  of  you. 

40.  This  befell 

In  ancient  times. 
They  had  their  children, 
Those  the  two  clans. 
He  the  high  chief. 


'ill 


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130 


THE   BOOK   OF   RITES. 


l!        i 


Raserhaghrhonk ! 
Etho  wahhoronghyaronnyon  : 
Roghskcnrakcghdckowah, 
Rakowancnh, 
Tchhotyatakaiorcnh, 

Skanawauyh ! 
Etho  natcjonhne! 

41.  Yeshohhawak, 

Tekahenyonk : 
Yeshonadadekcnah : 

Jinontaweraon  ! 
Etho  natejonhne! 

42.  Kadakwarasonh  ! 
Shoyonwese  ! 
Atyasehonne ! 

Etho  natejonhnch! 

43.  Yeshondadekcnah, 

Teyoronghyonkeh ! 
Teyouhoreghkonh  ! 
Wathyawi:nhethon  ! 
Etho  natejonhne ! 

44.  Atontaraherha  ! 

Teskahe! 
Etho  natcjonhneh! 

45.  Yeshotonnyh, 

Skanyadariyo  ! 
Yeshonaiaseshen, 

Shadekaroxyes  ! 
Etho  natcjonhneh  1 

46.  Satvenawat  ! 
Yeshonaraseshen, 

Shakenjowane! 
Etho  natcjonhneh! 


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THE    BOOK    OF    KITES. 

Sahhahwih ! 

This  put  away  tlie  clouds: 
He  w.is  a  war  chief; 
He  was  a  high  chief — 
Acting  in  cither  office: 
Skahxahwahtiii! 
This  was  the  roll  of  you ! 

41.  Then  his  son, 

Tahkahenhyunh ! 
With  his  brother, 

JiHNONTAHWEHHEH. 

This  was  the  roll  of  you ! 

42.  Kaiitaiigwaiijiii  ! 

SlIONYUNHWKSH  ! 

Haiitvahsenhneh  ! 
This  was  the  roll  of  you ! 

43.  Then  they  who  are  brothers  ; 

Tehvuiimniivlniikoh  ! 
Ti:iiYUirroii\VKH(aviH  ! 

TVAWKNIIIIEHTIIONH  I 

This  was  the  roll  of  you. 

44.  Hahtonhtahhehhah  ! 
Teshkahhea ! 

This  was  the  roll  of  you  ! 

45.  Then  his  uncle, 

SKAlINYAIITEIIiyUH  ! 

With  his  cousin, 

SlIAHTKIIKAHF.NHYKSU. 

This  was  the  roll  of  you  ! 

46.  Sahtyehnaiiwaut  ! 
With  his  cousin, 

SlIAKEN'IIJOHNAIl  ! 

This  was  the  roll  of  )  ou  ! 


137 


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138  THE    BOOK    ui'    RITES. 

47.  Kanokarih  ! 
Yesho  n  arase , — 0  n  wa 

NiSHAKYENEN ! 

Etho  natejonhneh! 

48.  Onj^liwa  kesHaj^Iishonah 
Yoclcnaf^listahhcrc 
Kanaghstajikowah. 
Yatchhotihohhata<;likwcn. 
Etho  ronarascshcn, 
Yadehniiihohhanonghne : 

Kanonghkeridawyh  ! 
Yeshonaraseshen, 

Teyoniniiokakawenh  I 
Etho  natejonhneh ! 

49.  Onenli  watyonkwcntendane 
Kanikonrakch. 


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THE    BOOK    OF    KITES. 

47.  Kahnohkaih  ! 
With  his  cousin, — then 

NlSHAIIYEIINENHHAII  ! 

This  was  the  roll  of  you ! 

48.  Then,  in  later  times, 
They  made  additions 
To  the  fjreat  mansion. 
These  were  at  the  doorway, 
They  who  were  cousins. 
These  two  guarded  the  doorway 

Kaxonhkehihtawih  ! 
Witli  his  cousin, 

Tyuhnixiioiikawenh  ! 
This  was  the  roll  of  you ! 

49.  Now  we  are  dejected 
In  our  minds. 


139 


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ii 


[I 


THE  BOOK  OV  THE  YOUNGER  NATIONS. 

(oNONDAGA    DIALECT.)     ' 

I.  a.  Yo  o  ncn  o  ncn  wcnni.srtc  o  ncn  wagcho- 
garanyat  nc  thanon  ni  sr  son  taryen  nayaiic  oshon- 
tar  gon  go  nar  nen  tis  no  war  yen  na  ye  ti  na  gar  wccar- 
har  tyc  ne  swih  argon  alir  ne  those  hen  ga  ho  gar  a- 
nyat  nen  tha  o  ta  gen  he  tak  ne  tho  har  ten  gar  ton  ji  yar- 
hon  on  nar  ye  en  gwa  wen  ne  kentar  nc  ten  gon  nen  tar- 
hen    na  a  yen  tar. 

I .  b.  Tar  oncn  na  on  gen  shis  gis  war  tha  en  ton  tyc 
na  on  gwr  non  sen  shen  tar  qua  nar  te  har  yar  ar  qui  nar 
nan  gar  wen  ne  srh  ha  yo  ton  har  tye  nen  gar  nen  ar  ta  ho- 
ti  sgen  ar  ga  tar  nen  o  ne  gar  nen  ar  ti  kon  lion  wi  sats 
nenoni  tar  ga  non  tye  na  onquarsathar  nen  o  hon- 
tar  gen  hi  se  non  tye  nen  o  wengr.go  go  yar  da  nen  tar- 
hon  nen  tho  nrtawar  ta  har  yar  ar  qui  nar  nen  gar- 
wen  ne  sar  han  yo  ton  hr  tyc  tar  o  nen  ti  tyaquarwen- 
ne  <^cn  har    ncn  a  shen     ne  yar  quar  tar  ta  gen. 

I .  c.  O  nen  ti  a  wen  lien  nar  ya  he  yr  gcnli  thar  ne  ho- 
tiecjuarte  nen  on  quar  noli  shen  ta  qua  nen  o  on  qua- 
jas  harn  ta  qua  nar  ye  gen  na  ho  nen  nar  ye  na  te  was- 
hen  nen  ne  gon  hi  war  natho  naho  te  yen  nen  tar  e  tar- 
da}' was  shen  ncn  ne  yo  e  wa  na  ar  wen  ha  yo  dar  ge  nen- 
on  quar  twen  non  ty  o  nen  en  hen  wayar  shon  ncn  na- 
tho on  nc  yar  quar  ya  ar    nen  a  shen    nc  yar  quar  tar  te  ken. 

I .  d.  O  nen  ti  eh  o  yar  nen  ton  ta  yar  quar  wen  ni  ken  ar 
nar  ya  hi  yar  gen  na  ar  quar  ton  sis  jih  wa  tha  en  ton  tye 
oyarna      son  quar  yo  ten  sc  nar     tarnryetina     hon  sar- 

140 


^r^" 


^^"m 


I  i<ap  w  ■ 


THE  BOOK  OF  THE  YOuXGER  NATIONS. 

(translation.) 

I.  a.  Now — now  this  clay — now  I  come  to  your  door 
where  you  are  mourning  in  great  darkness,  prostrate  with 
grief.  For  this  reason  we  have  come  here  to  mourn  with 
you.  I  will  enter  your  door,  and  come  before  the  ashes, 
and  mourn  with  you  there ;  and  I  will  speak  these  words 
to  comfort  you. 

I.  b.  Now  our  uncle  has  passed  away,  he  who  used  to 
work  for  all,  that  they  might  see  the  brighter  da\'s  to 
come, — for  the  whole  body  of  warriors  and  also  for  the 
whole  body  of  women,  and  also  the  children  that  were 
running  around,  and  also  for  the  little  ones  creeping  on  the 
ground,  and  also  those  that  are  tied  to  the  cradle-boards  : 
for  all  these  he  used  to  work  that  they  might  see  the 
bright  days  to  come.     This  we  say,  we  three  brothers. 

I.  c.  Now  the  ancient  lawgivers  have  declared — our 
uncles  that  are  gone,  and  also  our  elder  brothers — they 
have  said,  it  is  worth  twenty — it  was  valued  at  twenty — 
and  this  was  the  price  of  the  one  who  is  dead.  And  we 
put  our  words  on  it  (/.  c.  the  wampum),  and  they  recall  his 
name — the  one  that  is  dead.  This  we  say  and  do,  we 
three  brothers. 

I.  d.  Now  there  is  another  thing  we  say,  we  younger 
brothers.  He  who  has  worked  for  us  has  gone  afar  off; 
and  he  also  will  in  time  take  with  him  all  these — the 

141 


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142 


THE    HOOK    OF    RITES. 


ho  har  wc  ti  liar  tye  ncnqrncnhrtc  ho  ti  skcn  ar  ga  tar 
ncn  o  ne  gar  ncn  liar  tc  <^on  thon  wc  sas  on  sar  ho  na- 
tar  que  hartyc  iiarya  liar  tcs  g;ir  no  wen  na  o  ncn  na- 
en  ^ar  ya  tyc  ncn  har  niMi  war  thon  wi  sas  ar  ()iics  sis  jit 
nar  tc  yo  ncn  ha  asc  en  war  ntcn  har  wat  tha  ncn  on  quar- 
ta  shar  o  ncn  o  yar  ncn  ch  tc  gc  noii  tyes  on  quar  te  shar 
nryaone  saroharwcti  hartyc  o  ncn  oyar  ncnsoni- 
ta  cj[en  hi  se  non  tycs  o  wen  j^ar  gc  ga  yr  tr  ncn  tak  lion 
ne  tlio    nr  tc  war    on  sar  ho  har  wc  ti  har  tyc. 

I.e.  O  ncn  ty  a  on  j'ar  ta  ya  quar  wen  ne  ken  har 
ncn  a  sen  nc-yar  quar  tar  tc  ijcn  o  ncn  ty  ton  tar  wen  ten  eh 
ncn  o  ncn  thon  tar  yar  tyar  ton  t)'c  ncn  wa  gon  yon  wen- 
jar  nan  har  tar  o  ncn  ha  oyar  ncn  tayo  quar  wen  nc- 
ken  char  tyc.  O  ncn  tc  ar  wen  han  o  ncn  warc[uardc- 
yen  non  nyar  hen  na  shar  non  wa  nr  o  tas  are  quar  hen  ten 
o  ncn  wa  tya  quar  ha  tar  wen  ya  hon  ncn  ar  o  ar  shon  ar 
ncn  tar  yon  (juar  ty  nctho  hon  ne  )-ar  quar  ya  ar  ncn  ar- 
shen    nc  yar  quar  ta  tc  kenh. 

2.  O  ncn  ti  eh  o  yar  ncn  ton  tar  yar  quar  wen  nc  ken  har 
nen  o  son  tar  gon  go  nar  ncn  ti  sno  war  gen.  O  ncn  ti 
ton  sar  gon  en  nya  ch  tha  ar  guas  Iii  yar  ga  tha  tc  jo  ge- 
grar  O  nen  ti  sar  gon  ar  gwar  ncn  tak  ten  skcn  ncn  gink- 
ty  then  skar  ar  tayk  O  ncn  en  gar  ar  qui  ken  nha  ne  tho 
tens  shar  ar  tycn.  O  ncn  yo  ncn  tyon  ha  t3-c.  Ar  ghwas 
ten  yo  ten  har  en  ton  nyon  ne.  Xetho  tens  gar  ar  tyc  a- 
ghwas  skennonjis  tenyoyarnch  nc  oncn  engrar- 
gwen  har  o  ty  ncn  yar  wen  har  hen  jo  har  ten  har  sar  ne- 
gon  are.  Nc  tho  han  nc  yar  gwar  )a  ar  nen  ar  sen  nc- 
yar  quar  tr  ta  gen. 

3.  O  ncn  ti  eh  oyar  nen  ton  ta  yar  quar  wen  nc  ken  har. 
O  nen  nen  ti  war  tyar  war  sec  har  an  qua  tc  shar  lion  tar- 
gar  en  tar  nen  they  yon  tar  gc  har  te    ncn  te  sar  nar  ton  ken 


THE    BOOK   OF    KITES. 


143 


whole  body  of  warriors  and  also  the  whole  body  of 
women — they  will  \^o  with  him.  But  it  is  still  hanler 
when  the  woman  shall  die,  because  with  her  the  line  is 
lost.  And  also  the  <,frantlchildren  and  the  little  ones  who 
are  running  around — these  he  will  take  away;  and  also 
those  that  .I'-e  cree])in<r  on  the  f^round,  and  also  those 
that  are  on  the  cradle-boards;  all  these  he  will  takeaway 
with  him. 


1.  e.  Now  then  another  thing  we  will  .say,  we  three 
brothers.  Now  you  must  feel  for  us  ;  for  we  came  here  of 
our  own  good-will — came  to  your  door  that  we  might  say 
this.  And  we  will  say  that  we  will  try  to  do  you  good. 
When  the  grave  has  been  made,  we  will  make  it  still 
better.  We  will  adorn  it,  and  cover  it  with  moss.  We 
will  do  this,  we  three  brothers. 

2.  Now  another  thing  we  will  .say,  we  younger  broth- 
ers. You  are  mourning  in  the  deep  darkness.  I  will 
make  the  sky  clear  for  you,  so  that  you  will  not  see  a 
cloud.  And  also  I  will  give  the  sun  to  shine  upon  you, 
so  that  you  can  look  upon  it  peacefully  when  it  goes 
down.  You  shall  see  it  when  it  is  going.  Yea!  the  sun 
shall  seem  to  be  hanging  just  over  you,  and  you  shall 
look  upon  it  peacefully  as  it  goes  down.  Now  I  have 
hope  that  you  will  yet  see  the  pleasant  da\'s.  This  we 
.say  and  do,  we  three  brothers. 


!' 


i  i 


3.  INow  tlien  anotlier  tiling  we  say,  we  younger 
brothers.  Now  we  will  open  your  ears,  and  also  your 
throat,  for  there  is  something  that  has  been  choking  }'ou 


-•  i 


H 


B^ai 


144 


THE    BOOK   OF    RITES. 


lion  ne  ty  ar  war  na  gen  tar  wen  jar  wa  gar  ha  c  nar  ya  liar 
ten  skar  har  we  tar  lian  nen  o  ge  gwr  en  yone  nc  ii  t\-e- 
sar  nar  ton  ken  o  ty  nen  yar  wen  har  nen  en  jo  h;'r  ten  ar 
sar  ne  gon  are  ne  tho  lion  ne  }'ar  war  ya  ar  nen  a  sen 
ne  yar  quar  tar  te  kenh. 

4.  O  nen  ti  eh  o  yar  nen  ton  tar  yr  quar  wen  ne  ken  tye 
hon  nen  ton  sarwarkonhajarhajan  nen  they  gar  kon- 
ha  shon  tun  har  tye  hon  nen  ti  nen  sar  kon  ge  ter  yen  lias 
hon  nen  oni  nen  ton  sar  gon  nen  ha  tieh  o  nen  o  tieh  nen- 
}-arwenliar  nen  enjo  har  tx'cn  har  same  gon  are  ne  tho 
hon  ne  yar  quar  yar  ar    nen  a  sen    ne  yar  qwr  tar  te  kenli. 

5 .  O  nen  ti  eh  o  yar  nen  ton  tar  yar  qwar  wen  ne  ken  har 
nar  ya  ti  ar  wen  han  nen  tar  ehe  tar  nen  jar  tar  ti  war  ten 
nen  ton  gar  ke  sen  nen  na  hon  yar  na  on  har  wijn  ne  gen- 
tar  naryana  sar  hon  taje  wants  askarwe  arsan- 
neii  sen  wen  hat  ne  tho  o  ni  nis  nen  yar  wen  hon  sken- 
are  gen  tar  hor  go  war  nen  nen  hon  yar  na  an  har  wen- 
ne  gen  tar  are  we  ar  sen  nen  sun  sar  wen  hat  netho 
on  ne  )-ar  quar  }'a  ar     nen  ar  sen     ne  yr  qwar  tr  ta  kenh. 

6.  O  nen  ti  eh  o  yar  nen  ton  tar  \'ar  quar  wen  ne  ken  lir 
nar  ye  ti  na  ar  wen  han  nen  an  har  )-a  t}'e  nen  har  nen  11a- 
lion  )'ar  na  nr  ya  ti  nar  nen  ne  yo  sar  tar  ken  yar  tar 
nenjigarhan  nen  ta  hon  gren  tar  wi  nar  nage  neyo- 
snon  wa  nen  oj'ar  en  sar  tyar  tar  njar  ten  a  ren  ne  tlio 
one  \-ar  qwar  yaar     nen  ar  sen     ne  )-r  quar  tar  te  kenh. 

7.  O  nen  ti  eh  o  }'ar  nen  ton  tr  \-ar  quar  wen  ne  ken  har 
nr  )'a  ti  ar  wen  han  sar  gon  nr  tar  eh  ya  tars  nen  gr  nr  gar- 
)-on  ne  ta  ar  nen  jar  ne  qr  nar  sis  ah  nen  ne  tho  war  ar- 
guar  sins  tar  na  tho  ti  an  sar  wa  nen  tlion  gr  gey  san  ehis- 
an  skas  gen  nen  one  ha  yat  nen  war  o  yan  quar  a  ton  on- 
tye  nen  yar  gar  ker  ta  gr  nr  squaw  ya  an  ne  ne  tho  on- 
ne  yar  quar  ya  ar     nen  ar  sen     nc  yar  quar  ta  te  kenh. 

7.  b.  Tar  o  nen  sar  gon  yan  nen  tar  ah  tar  o  nen  ti 
ton  tar  ken  yar  tas. 


THE    BOOK   OF    RITES. 


145 


and  wc  will  also  give  you  the  water  that  shall  wash  down 
all  the  troubles  in  your  throat.  We  shall  hops  that  after 
this  your  mind  will  recover  its  cheerfulness.  This  we 
say  and  do,  we  three  brothers. 

4.  Now  then  there  is  another  thing  we  say,  we  younger 
brothers.  We  will  now  remake  the  fire,  and  cause  it  to 
burn  again.  And  now  you  can  go  out  before  the  people, 
and  go  on  with  your  duties  and  your  labors  for  the  peo- 
ple.    This  we  say  and  do,  we  three  brothers. 

5.  Now  also  another  thing  we  say,  we  younger  broth- 
ers. You  must  converse  with  your  nephews ;  and  if 
they  say  what  is  good,  you  must  listen  to  it.  Do  not 
cast  it  aside.  And  also  if  the  warriors  should  say  any- 
thing that  is  good,  do  not  reject  it.  This  we  say,  we 
three  brothers. 

6.  Now  then  another  thing  we  say,  we  younger  broth- 
ers. If  any  one  should  fall — it  may  be  a  principal  chief 
will  fall  and  descend  into  the  grave — then  the  horns  shall 
be  left  on  the  grave,  and  as  soon  as  possible  another  shall 
be  put  in  his  place.     This  we  say,  we  three  brothers. 

7.  Now  another  thing  we  say,  we  j'ounger  brothers. 
We  will  gird  the  belt  on  you,  with  the  pouch,  and  the 
next  death  will  receive  the  pouch,  whenever  you  shall 
know  that  there  is  death  among  us,  when  the  fire  is 
made  and  the  smoke  is  rising.  This  we  say  and  do,  we 
three  brothers. 

7.  b.  Now  I  have  finished.     Now  show  me  the  man  !  * 

* /'.  e.,  "  Point  out  to  me  the  man  whom  I  am  to  proclaim  as  chief,  in 
place  of  the  deceased." 


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NOTES  ON  THE  CANIENGA  BOOK. 


The  meaning  of  tlie  general  title,  Okayoiuiotio^hscfa  Vonden- 
«aj^,  has  been  already  explained  (Introduction,  p.  48).  In 
the  sub-title,  the  word  oghcnlonh  is  projierly  an  adverb,  mean- 
ing firstly,  or  foremost.  This  title  might  be  literally  ren- 
dered. "  First  the  ceremony,  '  At-the-wood's-edge  '  thev  call 
it." 

1.  The  chiefs,  in  tlu-r  journey  to  the  place  of  meeting,  are 
supposed  to  have  passed  the  sites  of  many  deserted  towns,  in 
which  councils  had  formerly  been  held.  (3wing  to  the  fre- 
quent removals  of  their  villages,  such  deserted  sites  were 
common  in  the  Irocjuois  country.  The  speaker  who  welcomes 
the  arriving  guests  supposes  that  the  view  of  these  places  had 
awakened  in  their  minds  mournful  recollections. 

Desaweuiiawenrate,  "  thy  voice  coming  over. ' '  This  word 
is  explained  in  the  Glossary.  It  is  in  the  singular  number. 
According  to  the  Indian  custom,  the  speaker  regards  himself 
as  representing  the  whole  party  for  whom  he  speaks,  and  he 
addresses  the  leader  of  the  other  party  as  the  representative 
and  embodiment  of  all  who  come  with  him.  Throughout 
the  speeclies  "  I  "  and  "  thou  "  are  used  in  the  well  under- 
stood sense  of"  we  "  and  "  ye."  In  like  manner,  tribes  and 
nations  are,  as  it  were,  personified.  A  chief,  speaking  for 
the  Onondagas,  will  say,  "  1  (that  is,  my  nation)  am  angry  ; 
thou  (^the  Delaware  people)  hast  done  wrong."  This  style  of 
bold  personification  is  common  in  the  scriptures,  Moses 
warns  the  Israelites  :  "  Thou  art  a  stiff-necked  people."  "  Oh 
my  people  :  "  exclaims  Isaiah  ;  "  they  which  lead  thee  cause 
thee  to  err." 

2.  Dciii}i7iroi:;Jik7vaycn,  "let  us  two  smoke."  This  word  is 
in  the  dual  number,  the  two  parties,  the  hosts  and  the  guests, 
being  each  regarded  as  one  individual. 

The  difficulties  and  dangers  which  in  the  early  days  of  tlie 
confederacy  beset  the  traveler  in  threading  his  way  through 
the  forest,  from  one  Indian  nation  to  another,  are  vividly 
described  in  this  section.     The  words  are  still  employed  by 

146 


J*at- 


■WWN 


■"^w^ipr^ 


NOTES  ON  THE  CANIENGA  BOOK. 


147 


their  speakers  as  an  established  form,  thou^^jh  they  have  ceased 
to  have  any  pertinence  to  their  present  circumstances. 

3.  Akukih  deyabonakarondon,  "yea,  offhiefs," — literally, 
"  yea,  having  horns."  The  custom  of  wearing  horns  as  part 
of  the  head-dress  of  a  chief  has  been  long  disused  among  the 
Iroijuois;  l)ut  the  idiom  remains  in  the  language,  and  the 
horns,  in  common  parlance,  indicate  the  chief,  as  the  coronet 
suggests  the  nobleman  in  Jlngland.  Among  the  western 
Indians,  as  is  well  known,  tiie  usage  still  survives.  "  No 
one,"  says  Catlin,  "wears  the  head-dress  surmounted  with 
horns  except  the  dignitaries  who  are  very  high  in  authority, 
and  whose  exceeding  valor,  worth,  and  power  are  admitted 
by  all."  These  insignia  of  rank  are,  he  adds,  only  worn  on 
special  and  rare  occasions,  as  in  meeting  emlxassies,  or  at 
warlike  parades  or  other  public  festivals,  or  sometimes  when 
a  chief  sees  fit  to  lead  a  war- party  to  battle.^  The  origin  of 
the  custom  is  readily  understood,  The  sight,  frei[nent 
enough  in  former  days,  of  an  antlered  stag  leading  a  herd  of 
deer  would  l)e  quite  sufficient  to  suggest  to  the  quick  ajipre- 
hension  of  the  Indian  this  emblem  of  authority  and  pre-emi- 
nence. 

5.  Safhdghyoinii'q/ison,  "thou  who  art  of  the  Wolf  clan." 
The  clan  is  addressed  in  the  singular  number,  as  one  i)erson. 
It  is  desej"ving  of  notice  that  tlie  titles  of  clanship  used  in 
the  language  of  ceremony  are  not  derived  from  the  ordinary 
names  of  the  animals  which  give  the  clans  their  designations. 
Ok-tualio  is  wolf,  but  a  man  of  the  Woif  clan  is  called  Tahioiini, 
— or,  as  written  in  the  text,  7\rghyoiini.  In  ordinary  speech, 
however,  the  expression  rokwaho,  "  he  is  a  Wolf,"  might  be 
used. 

The  English  renderings  of  the  names  in  the  list  of  towns 
are  those  which  the  interpreters  finally  decided  upon.  In 
several  instances  they  doubled  about  the  meaning,  and  in 
some  cases  they  could  not  suggest  an  ex[)kuiation.  Either 
the  words  are  obsolete,  or  they  have  come  down  in  such  a 
corrupt  form  that  their  original  elements  and  purport  cannot 
be  determined.  As  regards  the  sites  of  the  towns,  see  the 
Appendix,  Note  E. 

6.  £>n'iikoJarakc/i  ra/iyiJi^Iuit'ii^^/isIion, — "the  two  clans  of 
the  Tortoise."     Respecting  the   two  sub-gentes  into  which 

1  Letters  and  Xotes  on  the  Manners,  Cititoms.  cuui  Condition  of  the 
North  Ameriean  InJiixns.    l!y  CJcuij^c  Calliii ;  p.  172. 


i' 


I 


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148 


THE   BOOK   OF    RITES. 


the  Tortoise  clan  was  divicled,  see  a/i/e,  p.  53.  Anowara  is 
the  word  for  tortoise,  but  raniahtcn  (or,  in  the  orthography 
of  the  text,  ranyaghdetigh)  signifies,  "he  is  of  the  Tortoise 
clan."    ■ 

7.  Jadadcken  roskcrcwake,  "thy  brother  of  the  Bear  clan." 
Okwari  is  bear,  bnt  roskerewake  signifies  "  he  is  of  the  Bear 
clan."  Rokwari,  "  he  is  a  Bear,"  might,  however,  be  used 
with  the  same  meaning. 

8.  Ongliwa  kcliaglishonha,  "now  recently."  It  is  possible 
that  onglnva  is  here  written  by  mistake  for  origlnva.  The 
word  orig/iwakayongk,  which  immediately  follows,  signifies 
"  in  ancient  times,"  and  the  corresponding  word  orighwake- 
haghshoiiha  would  be  "in  younger  times."  The  period  in 
which  these  additions  were  made,  though  styled  recent,  was 
probably  long  past  when  the  "Book  of  Rites"  was  committed 
to  writing ;  otherwise  many  towns  which  are  known  to  have 
existed  at  the  latter  date  would  have  been  added  to  the  list. 
In  fact,  the  words  with  which  the  catalogue  of  towns  closes — 
"these  were  the  clans  in  ancient  times," — seem  to  refer  these 
later  additions,  along  with  the  rest,  back  to  a  primitive  era 
of  the  confederacy. 

9.  Rawenniyo  rawcghniscronnyh,  "God  has  appointed  this 
day,"  or,  literally,  "God  makes  this  day."  In  these  words 
are  probably  found  the  only  trace  of  any  modification  of  the 
Book  of  Rites  caused  by  the  inlluence  of  the  white  visitors 
and  teaciiers  of  the  modern  Iroquois.  As  the  very  fact  that' 
the  book  was  written  in  the  alphabet  introduced  by  the  mis- 
sionaries makes  us  certain  that  the  person  vvho  reduced  it  to 
writing  had  been  under  missionary  instruction,  it  might  be 
deemed  surprismg  that  more  evidences  of  this  influence  are 
not  apparent.  It  is  probable,  however,  that  the  conservative 
feeling  of  the  Council  would  have  rejected  any  serious  altera- 
tions in  their  ancient  forms.  It  seems  not  unlikely  tliat  Uavid 
of  Schoharie — or  whoeve:  was  the  penman  o\\  this  occasion — 
may  have  submitted  his  work  to  his  missionary  teacher,  and 
that  in  deference  to  his  suggestion  a  single  interpolation  of  a 
religious  cast,  to  which  no  particular  objection  could  be  made, 
was  allowed  to  pass. 

The  word  Rawcnniyo,  as  is  well  known,  is  the  term  for 
God  which  was  adopted  by  the  Catholic  missionaries.  It  is, 
indeed,  of  Huron-Inicjuois  origin,  and  may  doubtless  have 
been    occasionally  employed    from  the  earliest   times  as  an 


mmm 


w^^ 


NOTES   ON   THE    CANIENGA   BOOK. 


149 


epithet  proper  for  a  great  divinity.  Its  origin  and  precise 
meaning  are  explained  in  the  Appendix,  Note  B.  The  Catho- 
lic missionaries  appropriated  it  as  the  special  name  of  the 
Deity,  and  its  use  in  later  times  is  probably  to  be  regarded 
as  an  evidence  of  Christian  influence.  That  the  sentence  in 
which  it  occurs  in  the  text  is  probably  an  interpolation,  is 
shown  by  the  fact  that  the  words  which  precede  this  sentence 
are  repeated,  with  a  slight  change,  immediately  after  it. 
Having  interjected  this  pious  expression,  the  writer  seems  to 
have  thought  it  necessary  to  resume  the  thread  of  the  dis- 
course by  going  back  to  the  phrase  which  had  preceded  it. 
It  will  be  observed  that  the  religious  sentiment  proper  to  the 
Book  of  Rites  ap})ears  to  be  confined  to  expressions  of  rever- 
ence for  the  great  departed,  the  founders  of  the  commonwealth. 
This  circumstance,  however,  should  not  be  regarded  as  in- 
dicating that  the  people  were  devoid  of  devotional  feeling  of 
another  kind.  Their  frequent  "thanksgiving  festivals" 
afford  sufficient  evidence  of  the  strength  of  this  sentiment ; 
but  they  apparently  considered  its  display  out  of  place  in 
their  political  acts. 

15.  Nt'nc  karcnna,  "the  song,"  or  "hymn."  The  pur- 
port of  this  composition  is  explained  in  the  Introduction 
\aHte,  p.  62).  Before  the  Book  of  Rites  came  into  my  pos- 
session I  had  often  heard  the  hymn  repeated,  or  sung,  by  dif- 
ferent individuals,  in  slightly  varying  forms.  The  Onondaga 
version,  given  me  on  the  Syracuse  Reservation,  contains  a 
line,  ^^  JVcgiin'ya^i^^e  teskcnonlienhnc,''^  which  is  not  found  in 
lie  Canienga  MS.  It  is  rendered  "I  come  to  greet  the 
children."  The  affection  of  the  Indians  for  their  children, 
which  is  exhibited  in  various  passages  of  the  Book,  is  most 
apparent  in  the  Onondaga  portion. 

Kuyanercnh.  This  word  is  variously  rendered, — the 
peace,''  "the  law,"  and  "the  league,"  (see  ti:«/^,  p.  33). 
Here  it  evidently  stands  for  Kayancrcnhktnoa,  "  the  Great 
Peace,"  which  is  the  name  usually  given  by  the  Kanonsionni 
to  their  league,  or  federal  constitution. 

Dcskeiions[htaeroniu',  or  in  the  modern  French  orthography, 
teshenonhiiicronne,  "we  come  to  greet  and  thank,"  is  a  good 
example  of  the  comprcliensive  force  of  tlie  Iro([uois  tongue. 
Its  root  is  nonlnoe,  or  nomoe,  wliich  is  found  in  koionhwes, 
I  love,  like,  am  pleased  with — the  initial  syllable  ke  being 
the  first  personal   pronoun.     In  the  frequentative  form  this 


% 


,: 


T\ 


, 

/ 

i 

j 

§- 

1 

^1 

\lr    ■'■  ■  -^ 

150 


THE    BOOK    OF    RITES, 


becomes  kenonhweron,  whicli  has  the  meaning  of  "  I  saUite 
and  thank,"  i.  e.,  I  manifest  by  repeated  acts  my  liking  or 
gratification.  The  j  prefixed  to  this  word  is  the  sign  of  the 
reiterative  form  :  skcnon}rd.>cro}i,  "  again  I  greet  and  thank." 
The  terminal  syllable  ne  and  the  i)refixed  te  are  respectively 
the  signs  of  the  motional  and  the  cislocative  forms, — "  I  come 
///■///<?/- again  to  greet  and  thank."  A  word  of  six  syllables, 
easily  pronounced  (and  in  the  Onondaga  dialect  reduced  to 
five)  expresses  fully  and  forcibly  the  meaning  for  which  eight 
not  very  euphonious  English  words  are  reijuired.  The  notion 
that  the  existence  of  these  comprehensive  words  in  an  Indian 
language,  or  any  other,  is  an  evidence  of  deficiency  in  ana- 
lytic power,  is  a  AiUacy  which  was  long  ago  exposed  by  the 
clear  and  penetrative  reasoning  of  Dui)onceau,  the  true  father 
of  American  philology.*  As  he  has  well  explained,  analysis 
must  precede  synthesis.  In  fact,  the  power  of  what  may  be 
termed  analytic  synthesis, — the  mental  power  which  first 
resolves  words  or  things  into  their  elements,  and  then  puts 
them  together  in  new  forms, — is  a  creative  or  co-ordinating 
force,  indicative  of  a  higher  natural  capacity  tlian  the  act  of 
mere  analysis.  The  genius  which  framed  the  word  tcskenon- 
hweronnc  is  the  same  that,  working  with  other  elements,  pro- 
duced the  steam-engine  and  the  teleplione. 

Ronkcglisota  jiyathondck.  Two  translations  of  this  ^■erse 
were  given  by  different  interpreters.  One  made  it  an  address 
to  the  people:  "My  forefathers — hearken  to  them  !"  /.  <"., 
listen  to  the  words  of  our  forefathers,  which  I  am  about  to 
repeat.  The  other  considered  the  verse  an  invocation  to  the 
ancestors  themselves.  "  My  forefathers  I  hc.rken  ye  !"  The 
words  will  bear  either  rendering,  and  either  will  be  consonant 
with  the  speeches  which  follow. 

The  lines  of  this  hymn  have  been  thus  cast  into  the  metre 
of  Longfellow's  "Hiawatha  :"— 

"  To  the  great  Peace  biiii^  we  greeting  ! 
To  the  (lead  chief's  kindled,  greeting  ! 
To  the  warriors  round  him,  greeting  I 
To  the  mourning  women,  greeting  ! 
Tliese  our  grandsires'  words  repeating, 
(iraciously,  O  grandsires,  hear  us  !" 

'  See  tlie  achnirable  Preface  to  his  translation  of  Zeisberger's  Delaware 
Grammar,  p.  94. 


%J^ 


NOTES    ON    THE    CANIENGA   BOOK. 


151 


1 6.  Enyonghdciityonko  kauonghsakoiighshon, — ' '  he  will  walk 
to  and  fro  in  the  house."  In  councils  and  formal  receptions 
it  is  customary  for  the  orator  to  walk  slowly  to  and  fro  during 
the  intervals  of  his  speech.  Sometimes,  before  beginning  his 
address,  he  makes  a  circuit  of  the  assembly  with  a  meditative 
aspect,  as  if  collecting  his  thoughts.  All  public  acts  of  the 
Indians  are  marked  with  some  sign  of  deliberation. 

21.  Eglinikonh  cnyeriglnuawetharho  kenthoh, — "  thus  they 
will  close  the  ceremony  here. ' '  The  address  to  the  forefathers, 
which  is  mainly  an  outburst  of  lamentation  over  the  degen- 
eracy of  the  times,  is  here  concluded.  It  would  seem,  from 
what  follows,  that  at  this  point  the  candidate  for  senatorial 
honors  is  presented  to  the  council,  and  is  formally  received 
among  them,  with  the  usual  ceremonies,  which  were  too  well 
known  to  need  description.  The  hymn  is  then  sung  again, 
and  the  orator  proceeds  to  recite  the  ancient  laws  which  the 
founders  of  tlieir  confederacy  established. 

2  2,  Watide'iuciinakarondonnyon,  "we  have  put  on  the 
horns;"  in  other  words,  "we  have  invested  the  new  chief 
with  the  ensigns  of  office," — or,  more  briefly,  "we  have  in- 
stalled him."  The  latter  is  the  meaning  as  at  present  under- 
stood ;  but  it  is  prol)able  that,  in  earlier  days,  the  panoply 
of  horns  was  really  placed  on  the  head  of  the  newly  inducted 
councillor. 

23.  Aghsonh  denyakokioancntonghsacke,  etc.,  "as  soon  as 
he  is  dead  "  (or,  according  to  another  rendering,  "when  he 
is  just  dying")  the  horns  shall  be  taken  off.  The  purport 
and  object  of  this  law  are  set  forth  in  the  Introduction,  p. 67. 

24.  Ne  nayakoghstondi:  ne  nayeghnyasakenradakc,  "by  rea- 
son of  the  neck  being  white."  The  law  prescribed  in  this 
section  to  govern  the  proceedings  of  the  Council  in  the  case 
of  homicide  has  been  explained  in  the  Introduction,  p.  68. 
The  words  now  quoted,  however,  introduce  a  perplexity 
which  cannot  be  satisfactorily  cleared  up.  The  aged  chief, 
John  S.  Johnson,  when  asked  tlieir  meaning,  was  only  able 
to  say  that  neither  he  nor  his  fellow-councillors  fully  under- 
stood it.  They  repeated  in  council  the  words  as  they  were 
written  in  the  book,  but  in  this  case,  as  in  some  others,  they 
were  not  sure  of  the  precise  significance  or  purpose  of  what 
they  said.  Some  of  them  thought  that  their  ancestors,  the 
founders,  had  foreseen  the  coming  of  the  white  people,  and 
wished   to  advise    their  successors  against    quarreling   with 


T 


h 


i<  i 


I'    I 


i 


152 


THE   BOOK   OF   RITES. 


their  future  neighbors.  If  this  injunction  was  really  implied 
in  the  words,  we  must  suppose  that  they  were  an  interpola- 
tion of  the  Christian  chief,  David  of  Schoharie,  or  possibly  of 
his  friend  Brant.  They  do  not,  however,  seem  to  be,  by 
any  means,  well  adapted  to  convey  this  meaning.  The  pro- 
bability is  that  they  are  a  modern  corruption  of  some  earlier 
phrase,  whose  meaning  had  become  obsolete.  They  are  re- 
peated by  the  chiefs  in  council,  as  some  antiquated  words  in 
the  authorized  version  of  the  scriptures  are  read  in  our  own 
churches,  with  no  clear  comprehension — perhaps  with  a  total 
misconception — of  their  original  sense. 

27.  Enjoiikwanckheren,  "we  shall  lose  some  one,"  or, 
more  literally,  we  sliall  fail  to  know  some  person.  This  law, 
which  is  fully  explained  in  the  Introduction,  p.  70,  will  be 
found  aptly  exemplified  in  the  Onondaga  portion  of  the  text, 
where  the  speeches  of  the  "younger  brothers"  are  evidently 
framed  in  strict  compliance  with  the  injunctions  here  given. 

28.  Jih/akivcii/yti.  This  word,  usually  rendered  "ruler," 
appears  to  mean  "principal  person,"  or  perhaps  originally  a 
"  very  powerful  person."  It  is  a  compound  word,  formed 
apparently  from  ovata,  body  or  person,  kakivennion,  to  be 
able,  and  the  adjective  termination  iyii  or  iyo,  in  its  original 
sense  of  "great."  (See  Appendix,  Note  B.)  M.  Cuoq,  in 
his  Irociuois  Lexicon,  defines  the  verb  /'/(cAr/'rivv/wj'*?  as  mean- 
ing "to  be  the  important  jiersonage,  the  first,  the  principal, 
the  president."  It  corresponds  very  nearly  to  the  Latin 
princcps,  and,  as  applied  in  the  following  litany  to  the  fifty 
great  hereditary  chiefs  of  the  Iroquois,  might  fairly  enough  be 
rendered  "  prince." 

Kaiwiighsyoiiny,  in  modern  orthography,  Katb  >nm.  For 
the  origin  and  meaning  of  tliis  word,  and  an  e.\,  ation  of 
the  following  section,  see  the  Introduction,  p.  75. 

Yejodc'iiag/ista/ihere  ka//i7g/isrf(ij/kt>7i'a/i,  lit.,  "th  added 
frame-poles  to  the  great  framework."  Each  of  these  com- 
pounds comprises  the  word  ka/ftjg/is/a,  which  is  si)elt  by  Bru- 
yas,  ga/i/ias/a,  and  defined  by  him,  "poles  for  making  a 
cabin, — the  inner  one,  which  is  bent  to  form  the  frame  of  a 
cabin."  The  reference  in  these  words  is  to  the  Tuscaroras, 
Tuteloes,  Nanticokes,  and  other  tril)es,  who  were  admitted 
into  the  confederacy  after  its  first  formation.  From  a  manu- 
script book,  written  in  the  Onondaga  dialect,  which  I  found 
at  "  Onondaga  Castle,"  in  September,  1880,  I  copied  a  list 


NOTES    ON    THE    CANIENGA    BOOK 


lo3 


of  the  fifty  councillors,  which  closed  with  the  words,  ^'shoti- 
nastasonta  kauaslajikoiia  Ontaskaekeii,''^ — literally,  "  they 
added  a  frame-pule  to  the  great  framework,  the  Tuscarora 
nation." 

29.  Onciih  jathondck,  savarihwisaanon^hhue  Kayanerengh- 
kowa, — "now  listen,  ye  who  completed  the  work,  the  (Ireat 
League."  This  section,  though  written  continuously  as  prose, 
was  probably  always  sung,  like  the  list  of  chiefs  which  follows. 
It  is,  in  fact,  the  commencement  of  a  great  historical  chant, 
similar  in  character  to  the  78th  Psalm,  or  to  some  i)assages  of 
the  Prophets,  which  in  style  it  greatly  resembles.  In  sing- 
ing this  portion,  as  also  in  the  following  litany  to  the  chiefs, 
the  long-drawn  exclamation  of  hai,  or  haihhaih,  is  frequently 
introduced.  In  the  MS.  book  referred  to  in  the  last  note, 
the  list  of  councillors  was  preceded  by  a  paragraph,  written 
like  jjrose,  but  with  many  of  these  interjections  intersjjersed 
through  it.  The  interpreter,  Albert  Cusick,  an  intelligent 
and  educated  man,  assured  me  that  this  was  a  song,  and  at 
my  request  he  chanted  a  few  staves  of  it,  after  the  native 
fashion.  The  following  are  the  words  of  this  hymn,  arranged 
as  they  are  sung.  It  will  be  seen  that  it  is  a  sort  of  cento  or 
compilation,  in  the  Onondaga  dialect,  of  passages  from  vari- 
ous portions  of  the  Canienga  Book  of  Rites,  and  chiefly  from 
the  section  (29)  now  under  consideration:  — 


HaihhiUh  ! 
Jiyuthontck  ! 
Niyoiikhii  ! 

llaihhtjiJi  ! 
Tejoskaivii  voiton. 

Haihhaih  ! 
Skahciitalwnvon. 

Ilai  ! 
Shatyht-rarta — 
Jlotyi'a'isahoiii^uie — 

Ilai  I 
Kayaiteciv^oha. 
JVetiheiu'ii  hoihn 
Nene  kcnyoiivatafye — 
Kavauccn^oivauc. 

Hai  ! 
IVakaiwakavonnht'/ia. 

llui! 


Woe!   Woe! 
Hearken  yc  ! 
We  are  cliniiiiished ! 

Woe  !  Woe  ! 
The  cleared  land  has  become  a  thicket. 

Woe  !   Woe  ! 
The  clear  places  are  deserted. 

Woe  ! 
They  are  in  their  graves — 
Thev  who  establislied  it — 

W'oe  ! 
The  ^reat  Leat;ue. 
Vet  they  declared 
It  should  endure  — 
The  1,'reat  Leaj^ue. 

Woe ! 
Their  work  has  grown  old. 


Woe  ! 

Netho  wafyoir^^u'cnti-iiiha.  Thus  we  are  become  miserable. 

The  closing  word  is  the  same  as  the  CcLmcx\g^-uhtfyonk7cicn- 
tendane,  which  is  found  in  the  closing  section   of  the  Can- 


K 


.-r  :' 


F 


I 


ll 


P"  'J 


154 


THE    HOOK   OF    RITES. 


icnga  book.  The  lines  of  the  Onondaga  hymn  which  imme- 
diately precede  this  concluding  word  will  be  found  in  Section 
20  of  that  book,  a  section  which  is  ])robal)ly  meant  to  be 
chanted.  It  will  be  noticed  that  the  lines  of  this  hymn  fall 
naturally  into  a  sort  of  parallelism,  like  that  of  the  Hebrew 
chants. 

30.  Dehariliaokenh,  or  TcJikarihlwkcn.  In  John  Buck's  MS. 
the  list  of  chiefs  is  preceded  by  the  words  '■^  Nene  Tchadiri- 
hokeii,"  meaning  the  Caniengas,  or,  literally,  "the  Tekariho- 
kens."     For  an  explanation  of  this  idiom  and  name,  see  ante, 

V-  77- 

Ayon/nuaht/ui,  or  Haycnwatha.  This  name,  which,  as 
Hiawatha,  is  now  familiar  to  us  as  a  household  word,  is  ren- 
dered "  He  who  seeks  the  wampum  belt."  Chief  George 
Johnson  thought  it  was  derived  from  oyonwa,  wampum-belt, 
and  ratiehioatha,  to  look  for  sometliing,  or,  rather,  to  seem 
to  seek  something  which  we  know  where  to  find.  M.  Cuoq 
refers  the  latter  part  of  the  word  to  the  verb  katlia,  to  make.^ 
The  termination  atha  is,  in  this  sense,  of  frequent  occurrence 
in  Iroquois  compounds.  The  name  would  then  mean  "  He 
who  makes  the  wampum-belt,"  and  would  account  for  the 
story  which  ascribes  to  Hiawatha  the  invention  of  wampum. 
The  Senecas,  in  whose  language  the  word  oyonwa  has  ceased 
to  exist,  have  corrupted  the  name  to  Hayoiacntha,  which  they 
render  "  he  who  combs."  This  form  of  the  name  has  also 
jiroduced  its  legend,  which  is  referred  to  elsewhere  (p.  87). 
Hiawatha  "combed  the  snakes  out  of  Atotarho's  head," 
when  he  brought  that  redoubted  chief  into  the  confederacy. 

Shatekamvaie,  "two  equal  statements,"  or  "two  things 
equal."  This  name  is  derived  from  sate  or  shate,  equal,  and 
karma,  or  karihwa,  for  which  see  the  Glossary. 

E/ho  natejouhne,  "  this  was  your  number,"  or,  this  was  the 
extent  of  your  class.  These  words,  or  the  similar  form,  et/to 
natehadinhfie,  "this  was  their  number,"  indicate  apparently 
that  the  roll  of  chiefs  belonging  to  a  particular  class  or  clan 
is  completed.  They  are  followed  by  three  other  words  which 
have  been  already  explained  (^ante,  pages  33  and  80),  sewater- 
ihwakhaonghkioe,  sewarihwisaanonghkwe ,  kayatierenlikowa.  In 
the  written  litany  these  three  words  are  omitted  toward  the 
close, — probably  to  save  the  penman  the  labor  of  transcrip- 
tion ;  but  in  the  actual  ceremony  it  is  understood  that  they 

^  Lexique  de  la  Langue  Iroquois,  p.  l6l. 


NOTES   UN    THE    CANIENGA   BOOK. 


155 


are  chanted  wherever  the  fornnila  etho  natejonhne^  or  eiho 
natchaiiinline,  occurs.  In  the  modern  Canienga  speech  this 
verb  is  thus  conjugated  in  the  phiral, — ctho  being  contracted 
to  eh  : — 

e/inatefiolihne,  we  were  that  numher; 
einuitt-jionhne,  ye  were  thiit  niiiiiher; 
e/iii(iU/ui(iiri/ine,     tliey  were  that  muiiber. 

The  three  Canienga  councillors  of  the  first  class  all  belong 
to  the  Tortoise  clan. 

31.  Sharrnhowdiie ;  '\r\  Onondiigd.,  S/towe/ihona.  This  name 
was  translated  by  the  interpreters,  "he  is  the  loftiest  tree." 
It  seems  properly  to  mean  "he  is  a  great  tree-top,"  from 
karenha,  or  i^areii/ui,  whicli  Bruyas  renders  liine  iVarbrc,  and 
ko7ijane,  great. 

Deyoiiiihchgonh,  or  Teyonhchkwen^  "double  life,"  from 
onnhc,  life.  My  friend,  Chief  George  Johnson,  who  bears 
this  titular  appellation,  tells  me  that  it  is  jtroperiy  the  name 
of  a  certain  shrub,  which  has  a  great  tenacity  of  life. 

Ohrcnrcgoiuah ;  in  Onondaga,  Owenhego)ia.  The  inter- 
preters differed  much  in  opinion  as  to  the  meaning  of  this 
name.  Some  said  "  wide  branches;"  another,  "a  high  hill." 
The  root-word,  ohrenrc,  is  obsolete,  and  its  meaning  is  appa- 
rently lost. 

The  three  chiefs  of  the  second  class  or  division  of  the 
Caniengas  belong  to  the  Wolf  clan. 

32.  Dehennakarine ;  in  Onondnga.,  Te/ie/i/mk(u7i/fe;  "going 
with  two  horns."  The  root  is  ^;//(?X'(//-'/,  horn;  the  termina- 
tion i/ie,  or  i7iJ/e,  gives  the  sense  of  going ;  Je  or  h'  is  the 
duplicative  prefix. 

Aghstawenserontha  (Onon.  HastMuensanva),  "he  puts  on 
the  rattles."  Mr.  Bearfoot  writes,  ^^ OJista-iOeuscra  <.<i<i\Wf,  to 
have  been  a  general  name  for  anything  denuded  of  flesh,  but 
is  now  confined  to  the  rattles  of  the  rattlesnake." 

SliosgoharoiL<a)!e  (Onon.  Shosgoliacliiia),  "he  is  a  great 
wood-drift."  "  Yohskoliaio,  (writes  Mr.  IJearfoot)  means  an 
obstruction  by  driftwood  in  creeks  or  small  rivers." 

The  councillors  of  the  third  Canienga  class  are  of  the  Bear 
clan. 

33.  Ise  scniyatagweniyolikwc,  "ye  two  were  the  principals." 
Atagweniyo,  or  adakwciiiyu  (see  ante,  note  to  Sec.  28)  here 
becomes  a  verb  in  the  imperfect  tense  and  the  dual  number. 
The  reference  is  either  to  Dekanawidah  and  Odatsehte,  the 


-#  • 
'I 


! 


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THE    BOOK   OF    RITES. 


chiefs  of  the  Caniengas  and  Oneidas,  who  worked  together 
in  fotiiuling  the  confederacy,  or,  ratlicr,  perhaps,  to  their  two 
nations,  each  regarded  as  an  individual,  and,  in  a  manner, 
personified. 

Jatatawhak,  or,  more  properly  /(t/itfd/niHik,  means,  liter- 
ally, "son  of  each  other."  It  is  from  the  root-word  X'(///J- 
■wak  {or  f^ij/iaicak),  which  is  defined  by  Mruyas,  avoir  pour 
efifanf,  and  is  in  the  reciprocal  form.  Here,  however,  it  is 
understood  to  mean  "  father  and  'on,"  in  reference  to  the 
political  relationship  between  the  Canienga  and  Oneida 
nations. 

Odatsehte  (Onon,,  Tatshehte),  "bearing  a  quiver," — or 
the  pouch  in  which  the  arrows  are  carried.  According  to 
the  tradition,  when  Dekanawidah's  brother  and  embassador 
formally  adoptctl  Odatschte  as  tlie  political  son  of  the  Cani- 
enga chief,  lie  took  the  (piiver  off  iiis  own  shoulder,  and  hung 
it  upon  tliat  of  the  Oneida  chieftain. 

Kdiionlh^oi'iixodon,  "setting  up  ears  of  corn  in  a  row." 
From  onouhkwciiha,  an  ear  of  corn, 

Dcyohha\^7ociite  (Onon.,  lyo/uv^rornfc),  "open  voice"  (P") 
This  is  another  obsolete,  or  semi-obsolete  word,  about  which 
the  interpreters  differ  widely  in  o])iiiion.  "Hollow  tube," 
"  windpiijc,"  "opening  in  the  woods,"  "open  voice,"  were 
the  various  renderings  suggested.  The  latter  would  be  de- 
rived from  oliakwa  or  olu\^a>a,  voice,  and  the  termination 
wente  or  iH^Kwnte,  which  gives  the  sense  of  "open." 

The  three  chiefs  of  the  first  Oneida  class  belong  to  the 
Wolf  clan. 

34.  .S'//(;//tf///i!.f<'.sv('Onon.,  Shononses),  "his  long  house,"  or, 
"he  has  a  long  house."  From  kanonsa,  house,  with  the 
adjective  termination  cs,  long. 

Daonahrokcihi<:;li  (Onon.,  Tonaohgena),  "two  branches." 
This  is  another  doubtful  word.  In  modern  Canienga,  "  two 
branches"  would  be  ToiuTirokcTi. 

Atyatoiientha  (Onon.,  Hatyatonnentha),  "  he  lowers  him- 
self," or,  literally,  "he  slides  himself  down,"  ixoxw  oyata, 
body,  self,  and  fo/i/ie/ita,  to  slide. 

The  councillors  of  the  second  Oneida  class  are  of  the  Tor- 
toise clan. 

35.  Dnc'iiM/ion/ifcnyonk {Onor\.,  Tchatahorihfetiyoiik),  "two 
hanging  ears,"  from  olwnta,  ear. 

Kiviiyatahshayoitk  (Onon.,  KancnyatakiJuiyeii).    This  name 


NOTES  ON  THE  CAN  I  !•  NO  A  BOOK. 


157 


was  rendered  "easy  throat,"  as  if  derived  from  oiiia/a,  throat ; 
but  the  Oneida  form  of  the  word  seems  to  point  to  a  deriva- 
tion from  oiicnwi  ^or  oiiciikiu),  stone.  This  woril  must  be 
regarded  as  another  obsolete  compound. 

0//7(i(i/Sii/(>///t()///,'  (Onon.,  Oincmsjiif cinch,  "lie  is  buried." 

The  tliree  chiefs  of  tiie  tiiird  Oneida  class  are  of  the  Hear 
clan. 

36.  Ei^hyc'Siiofoiiiiihsi-n,  \\\..,  "this  was  his  uncle," — or,  as 
the  words  would  be  understood  by  the  hearers,  "  the  next 
are  his  uncles."  The  Onondaga  nation,  being  the  brother 
of  the  Canienga,  was,  of  c-ourse,  the  uncle  of  the  Oneida.  In 
John  Buck's  MS.  the  Oncjndagas  are  introduced  with  more 
ceremony,  in  the  following  lines: 

Etho ycsJioitoiiiiih ;         These  are  the  uncles  ; 
Rodihscnitaki'^hdc,         'I'hey,  the  name-bearers — 
Tchhotiyoia,  They  took  hold  here  ; 

Roiiihiionsyoiiitihton.      They  made  the  League. 
That  is,  they  helped,  or  joined,  in  making  the  League. 

TluitotivJio,  WatJiatotarho {Vlwow.  ThatotarJid).  Thatotarlio 
is  the  passive  voice  and  cislocative  form  of  otarlio,  which  is 
defined"  togras[),"  or  "  catch"  {accroc/icr),  but  in  the  passive 
signifies  "entangled."  This  great  chief,  whose  name  is  better 
known  as  Atotarho  (^without  the  cislocative  prefi.x),  is  of  the 
Bear  clan. 

E/Jio  ronaraschscn,  "  these  were  cousins,"  or  rather,  "  the 
next  were  cousins."  Tliis  cousinhoc^,  like  all  the  relation- 
ships throughout  the  book,  is  political,  and  indicates  some 
close  relationship  in  i)ublic  affairs.  The  announcement 
ai)plies  to  the  following  chiefs,  Enneserarenh  and  Dehatkah- 
thos,  who  were  the  special  aids  and  counsellors  of  Atotarho. 

Enncscrarciili  (Onon.  Ilancsehcii).  One  Onondaga  chief 
said  that  he  knew  no  meaning  for  this  word.  Another 
thought  it  might  mean  "the  best  soil  uppermost,"  It  is 
apparently  from  some  obsolete  root. 

DchatkahtJios  (Onon.  Tchalkahtoiis),  "he  is  two-sighted," 
or,  "he  looks  both  ways,"  Another  rendering  made  it  "on 
the  watch."  This  and  the  preceding  chief  belong  now  to  the 
Beaver  clan.  In  one  of  the  Onondaga  lists  which  I  received, 
these  two,  with  their  principal,  Atotarho,  formed  a  "  class  "  by 
themselves,  and  were  doubtless  originally  of  the  same  clan. 

]Vai:;hi>nft'/i/i>io>!tero/ifyr, ' '  they  were  as  brothers  thenceforth  ; ' ' 
or,  more  fully  rendered,  "  the  next  continued  to  be  brothers." 


if 


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158 


THE   BOOK    OF   RITES. 


This  declaration  refers  to  the  three  next  following  chiefs,  who 
were  connected  by  some  special  political  tie.  The  first  who 
bore  the  name  were,  probably,  like  the  two  preceding  chiefs, 
leading  partisans  and  favorites  of  the  first  Atotarho. 

Onyatajiwah,  or  Skanyadtijiwak  (Onon.,  Oycxtajiwak^. 
One  authority  makes  this  "a  fowl's  crop;"  another,  "the 
throat  alone,"  from  oiiiata,  throat,  andy/Viy^?/',  alone  ;  another 
defined  it,  "  bitter  throat."  Mr.  Morgan  renders  it  "bitter 
body," — his  informant  probably  seeing  in  it  the  word  oyata, 
body?     This  chief  belongs  now  to  the  Snipe  clan. 

A7vcke!iyad(\  "the  end  of  its  journey," — from  awe,  going, 
and  akon/iici/ri^Can.)  "at  the  end."  This  chief  is  of  tlie  Ball 
tribe,  both  in  Canada. and  at  Onondaga  C:istle.  In  the  list 
furnished  to  Mr.  Morgan  by  the  Senecas,  he  is  of  the  Tortoise 
clan. 

Dehcidkii'araycn  (Onon.,  TcJiatk^vaycii).  This  word  is 
obsolete.  One  interpreter  guessed  it  to  mean  "  on  his  body;" 
anotlier  made  it  "red  wings."     He  is  of  the  Tortoise  clan. 

In  the  Book  of  Rites  the  first  six  chiefs  of  the  Onondagas 
make  but  one  class,  as  is  shown  by  tlie  fiict  that  their  names 
are  followed  b  •  the  formula,  efho  iijfr/o/ihut',  "  this  was  the 
number  of  yo  It  may  be  iiresumcd  that  tliey  were  origi- 

nally of  one  cla.., — probably  that  of  the  Bear,  to  which  their 
leader,  Atotarho,  belonged. 

37.  Y('skok<i7ciak,  rokwahhokowah,  "  then  his  next  son,  he 
the  great  Wolf. ' '  The  chief  who  follows,  Ronoih^h7inr('glitonh, 
was  evidently  a  personage  of  great  importance, — probably 
the  leading  chief  of  the  Wolf  class.  He  forms  a  "  clan  "  by 
himself, — the  only  instance  of  the  kind  in  the  list.  The 
expression,  "there  (or,  in  him)  were  combined  the  minds," 
indicates — as  Mr.  Bearfoot  suggests — his  superior  intellect.  It 
may  also  refer  to  the  fact  that  lie  was  the  hereditary  keeper 
of  the  wampum  records.  The  title  was  borne  in  Canada  by 
the  late  chief  George  Buck,  but  the  duties  of  record-keeper 
were  usually  performed  by  his  more  eminent  brother,  John 
{SkaiiaiviUi ) . 

Roiioiighwirr^htonJi  (Onon.,  Hoiromvlehfi),  "he  is  sunk  out 
oi  sight."  This  chief,  who,  as  has  been  stated,  alone  con- 
stitutes the  second  Onondaga  class,  is  of  the  Wolf  clan. 

38.  Rtho  ycsltotoiinyh  tekddtirakcluic,  "then  his  uncles  of 
the  two  clans."  The  five  chiefs  who  follow  probably  bore 
some    peculiar    political    relation    to     Rononghwireghton. 


NOTES   ON   THE    CANIENGA   BOOK. 


159 


The  first  two  in  modern  times  are  of  the  Deer  clan  ;  the*  last 
three  are  of  the  Eel  clan.  It  is  probable  that  they  all  belonged 
originally,  with  him,  to  one  clan,  that  of  the  Wolf,  and  conse- 
quently to  one  class,  which  was  afterwards  divided  into  three. 

Kmucuenseronton  (Onon.,  Kawenensentoii).  A  word  of 
doubtful  meaning;  one  interpreter  thought  it  meant  "her 
voice  suspended." 

Haghriron  (Onon.,  Hahihoii),  "spilled,"  or  "scattered." 

39.  IViiJihoudennoiiteroiitye.  This  word  has  already  oc- 
curred, with  a  different  orthography,  and  is  explained  in  the 
Note  to  Section  36. 

RonyennyeniiiJi    (Onon.,   Honyoiiiyciuii).     No   satisfactory 
explanation  could   be  obtained  of  this  word.     Chief  John 
Buck  did  not  know  its  meaning. 
ShodakwarasJionh  (Onon.,  Shoffgioasheii),  "he  is  bruised." 
S/ia/^okt'iig/i/ic  (Onon.  SlialikoJikctDieh),  "he  saw  them." 
As  stated  above,  the  three  chiefs  in  this  class  are  of  the  Eel 
clan. 

40.  Shihoiiadewiraratye,  "they  had  children,"  or,  rather, 
"  they  continued  to  get  children."  Mr.  Boarfoot  writes  in 
regard  to  this  word:  "  Yodcii>irare,'x  fowl  hatching,  referring 
to  the  time  when  they  were  forming  the  league,  when  they 
were  said  to  be  hatcliing,  or  producing,  the  children  men- 
tioned— /.  c,  the  other  tribes  who  were  taken  into  the  con- 
federacy." 

Tclihodidarakch,  "these  the  two  clans."  Taken  in  connec- 
tion with  the  preceding  lines  of  the  chant,  it  seems  probable 
that  this  expression  refers  to  the  introduction  of  other  clans 
into  the  Council  besides  the  original  lliree,  the  Bear,  Wolf 
qnd  Tortoise,  wliich  existed  when  the  confederacy  was  formed. 

RaserJuiglir-honh  (Onon.,  SherJiahwi),  "  wearing  a  hatchet 
in  his  belt,"  from  asera,  hatchet.  This  chief  is  of  the  Tor- 
toise clan. 

FJho  ^iidhJiorong/iyaroiiiiyon,  "this  put  away  the  clouds." 
These  "  clouds,"  it  is  said,  were  the  clouds  of  war,  which  were 
dispelled  by  the  great  chief  whose  name  is  thus  introduced,^'/'*?//- 
awadyli,  or  as  now  spelt,  Skaitawati.  He  had  the  peculiar  dis- 
tinction of  holding  two  offices,  which  were  rarely  combined. 
He  was  both  a  high  chief,  or  "  Lord  of  the  Council,"  and  a 
"  Great  Warrior."  In  former  times  the  members  of  the 
Great  Council  seldom  assumed  executive  duties.  I'hey  were 
rarely  sent  out  as  ambassadors  or  as  leaders  of  war-parties. 


■tl 


IGO 


THE    BOOK    OF    RITES. 


|i        i 


Tliese  duties  were  usually  entrusted  to  the  ablest  chiefs  of  the 
second  rank,  who  were  known  as  "  Great  Warriors,"  rohsken- 
rakehte-ko7va.  Skanawati  was  an  exception  to  this  rule.  It 
would  seem  that  the  chief  who  first  bore  this  title  had  special 
aptitudes,  which  have  come  down  in  his  family.  A  striking  in- 
stance, given  in  the"i'i't'Ai'/'/c?/'/,i-"of  thcjesuitmissionariesamong 
the  Hurons,  has  been  admirably  reproduced  by  Mr.  Parkman  in 
the  twenty-third  chapter  of  his  "Jesuits  in  North  America," 
and  cannot  be  better  told  than  in  his  words.  In  the  year  1648, 
during  the  desperate  war  between  the  Kanonsionni  and  the 
Hurons,  the  Onondagas  determined  to  respond  to  the  pacific 
overtures  which  they  had  received  from,  their  northern  foes, 
'•i'hey  chose  for  their  envoy,"  continues  the  historian, 
"  Scandawati,  a  man  of  renown,  sixty  years  of  age,  joining 
with  him  two  colleagues.^  The  old  Onondaga  entered  on  his 
mission  with  a  troubled  mind.  His  anxiety  was  not  so  much 
for  his  life  as  for  his  honor  and  dignity ;  for,  while  the 
Oneidas  and  the  Cayugas  were  acting  in  concurrence  with 
the  Onondagas,  the  Senecas  had  refused  any  part  in  the  em- 
bassy, and  still  breathed  nothing  but  war.  Would  they, 
or  still  more,  the  Mohawks,  so  far  forget  the  consideration  due 
to  one  whose  name  had  been  great  in  the  Councils  of  the 
League,' as  to  assault  the  Hurons  while  he  was  among  them  in 
the  character  of  an  ambassador  of  his  nation,  whereby  his 
honor  would  be  compromised  and  his  life  endangered?  'I 
am  not  a  dead  dog,'  he  said,  '  to  be  dosjjiscd  and  forgotten. 
I  am  worthy  that  all  men  should  turn  tlieir  eyes  on  me  while 
I  am  among  enemies,  and  do  nothing  that  may  involve  me  in 
danger.'  *  *  *  Soon  there  came  dire  tidings.  The 
l)rophetic  heart  of  the  old  cliief  had  not  deceived  him.  The 
.Senecas  and  Moliawks,  disregarding  negotiations  in  which 
they  had  no  part,  and  resolved  to  bring  tliem  to  an  end,  were 
invading  the  country  in  force.  It  niiglit  be  thought  that  the 
Hurons  would  take  their  revenge  on  the  Onondaga  envoys, 
now  hostages  among  them ;  but  they  did  not  do  so,  for  the 
character  of  an  ambassador  was,  for  the  most  part,  held  in 
respect.  One  morning,  however,  Scandawati  had  disappeared. 
They  were  full  of  excitement ;  for  ihey  thought  that  he  had 
escaped  to  the  enemy.  They  ranged  the  woods  in  search  of 
him,  and  at  length  found  him  in  a  thicket  near  the  town.    He 

'^ Scandtnviili   is  the    IIuidii — aiul    probably  thu  original  Onomlaga — 
pronunciation  of  tlie  name. 


% 


'-_s«.f . 


I.tN*P.»fl<i^«*-.<,, 


NOTES   ON    THE    CANIENCxA    BOOK. 


161 


lay  dead,  on  a  bed  of  spruce  boughs  whirh  he  had  made,  his 
throat  deeply  gashed  with  a  knife.  He  had  died  by  liis  own 
hand,  a  victim  of  mortified  pride.  '  See,'  writes  Father 
Ragueneau,  '  how  much  our  Indians  stand  on  the  point  of 
honor! '  " 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  the  same  aptitude  for  af^iirs  and 
the  same  keen  sense  of  honor  which  distinguished  this  high- 
spirited  chief  survives  in  the  member  of  his  family  who,  on 
the  Canadian  Reservation,  now  bears  the  same  title, — Chief 
John  Buck, — whom  his  white  neighbors  all  admit  to  be  both 
a  capable  ruler  and  an  able  and  trustworthy  negotiator. 

In  Canada  Skainnaafi  is  of  the  Tortoise  ckm.  At  Onon- 
daga, where  the  original  family  has  probably  died  out,  the 
title  now  Ijelongs  to  the  Ball  clan. 

41.  Ycshohawak,  "  then  his  next  son," — or  rather,  perhaps, 
"then,  next,  his  son."  The  Cayuga  nation  was  politically 
the  son  of  the  Onondaga  nation. 

Tekalicnyonk  (Onon.,  Hakaeiiyoiik)^  "  he  looks  both  ways," 
or,  "he  examines  warily."  In  section  28  {ante  ]).  126)  this 
name  is  s])elt  Akalwiiyoiih.  The  prefixed  tc  is  the  duplica- 
tive particle,  and  gives  the  meaning  of  "spying  on  both 
sides."  This  and  the  following  chief  belong,  in  Canada,  to 
the  Deer  clan,  and  constitute  the  first  Cayuga  class. 

Jinontaioeraon  (Onon.,  Jinoiitaweyoii),  "coming  on  its 
knees." 

42.  Katakwarasonli  (Onon. ,  A'tr/ai^'-rcaJ/k),  "  it  was  bruised." 
This  name,  it  will  be  seen,  is  very  similar  to  tliat  of  an  Onon- 
daga chief, — (7///t',  Note  to  Section  39.  The  chief  now  named 
and  the  one  who  follows  are  of  the  Bear  clan. 

.  S//()yo/m'cs(!  {Onon.,  Soyo/ncin),  "he  has  a  long  wamjnnn- 
belt."  The  root-word  of  this  name  is  oyoinoa,  wampum-belt, 
the  same  that  apjjears  in  ILiyo/noat/ia. 

Alyaseronne  (Onon.,  Hatyasciine),  "he  puts  one  on  an- 
other," or  "lie  piles  on."  This  chief  is  of  the  Tortoise 
clan,  and  completes,  with  the  two  preceding  councillors,  the 
second  Cayuga  class. 

43.  Ycshoiiadadckcihih,  "then  tlicy  who  are  brothers." 
The  three  chiefs  who  follow  are  all  of  the  Wolf  clan,  and 
make  the  third  class  of  the  Cayuga  councillors. 

Texoroiv^hxonkcli  (Onon.,  ThoK'ciixon^o),  "it  touches  the 
sky." 

Tcyo'JhoreirJikonh   (Onon.,    Tyofowegjoi),   "doubly  cold." 


J   '• 


i  t 


'  i4J[i5ao»"«'''r**  ~*«*-"' 


I    I 


1G2 


THE    BOOK    OF    RITES. 


WaihyawenhcJictkcn  (Onon.,  Thao7uethon),  "mossy  place." 

44.  The  two  following  chiefs  are  of  the  Snipe  clan,  and 
constitute  the  fourth  and  last  Cayuga  class. 

Atontarahcha  (Onon.,  Hatontahclia)  "  crowding  himself 
in." 

TeskaJic  (Onon.,  Heskahe)  "resting  on  it." 

45.  Yeshotoiiinh,  "and  then  his  uncle."  The  Seneca 
nation,  being  the  brother  of  the  Onondaga,  is,  of  course,  the 
uncle  of  the  Cayuga  nation. 

Skanyadariyo  (Onon.,  Kanyataiyo),  "beautiful  lake;" 
originally,  perhaps,  "great  lake."  (See  Appendix,  Note  B.) 
This  name  is  spelt  in  Section  28  {aiitt\  j).  12S)  Kanyadariyu. 
The  prefixed  s  is  the  sign  of  the  reiterative  form,  and  when 
joined  to  proper  names  is  regarded  as  a  token  of  nobility, — 
like  the  French  dc,  or  the  German  voii^.  Kaiiyadnriyo,  was 
one  of  the  two  leading  chiefs  of  the  Senecas  at  the  formation 
of  the  confederacy.     The  title  belongs  to  the  Wolf  clan. 

Ycshonaraseshen,  lit.,  "  they  were  cousins."  In  the  pre- 
sent instance,  and  according  to  the  Indian  idiom,  we  must 
read  "  Skanyadariyo,  with  his  cousin,  Shadekaronyes." 

Shadekaronyes  (Onon.,  Shatckaciiycs),  "skies  of  equal 
length. ' '  This  chief  (whose  successor  now  belongs  to  the  Snipe 
clan)  was  in  ancient  times  the  head  of  the  second  great  divi- 
sion of  the  Senecas. 

These  two  potentates  were  made  a  "class"  in  the  Council  by 
themselves,  and  were  thus  required  to  deliberate  together  and 
come  to  an  agreement  on  any  question  tiiat  was  brought  up, 
before  expressing  an  opinion  in  the  council.  This  ingenious 
device  for  preventing  differences  between  the  two  sections  of 
the  Seneca  nation  is  one  of  the  many  evidences  of  statesman- 
ship exhibited  in  the  formation  of  the  League. 

46.  Safyenaiodt,  "withheld."  This  chief,  in  the  Canadian 
list,  is  of  the  Snipe  clan  ;  in  Mr.  Morgan's  Seneca  list,  he  is 
of  the  Bear  clan.  His  comrade  in  the  class,  Shakenjowane, 
is,  in  both  lists,  of  the  Hawk  clan. 

Shakenjowane  (Onon.,  Shakenjona),  "large  forehead. 

There  has  apparently  been  some  derangement  here  in  the 
order  of  the  classes.  In  Mr.  Morgan's  list,  and  also  in  one 
furnished   to    me  at   Onondaga  Castle,  the    two  chiefs  just 


1  See  J.  A.  Cuoii :  y>/;vwc;//  Erroiic,  etc.,  p.  57. 
comnie  uii  signe  de  noblesse  dans  les  noms  propres." 


"  Le   reiteratif  est 


I 

,1 


NOTES  ON   THE    CANIENGA   BOOK. 


1G3 


named  belong  to  different  classes.  The  variance  of  the  lists 
may  be  thus  shown  :  — 

T/ie  Book  of  Riles.  The  Seneca  and  Onondaga  Lists. 

Second  Seneca  Class. 
Satyenmvat  Kanokarih 

Shakenjowane  Shakenjowane, 

Third  Seneca  Class. 
Kanokarih  Satyeuawat 

Nisharyencn  Nis/iaryenen. 

Satyenawat  and  Kanokarih  have  changed  places.  As  the 
Book  of  Rites  is  the  earlier  authority,  it  is  probable  that  the 
change  was  made  among  the  New  York  Senecas  after  a  part 
of  their  nation  had  removed  to  Can^da. 

47.  Kanokarih  {Onon.,  Kanokache),  "threatened." 
Nisharyoien  (Onon.,  Onishayeneftha),   "the    day    fell 

down." 
One  of  the  interpreters  rendered  the  latter  name,  "  the 
handle  drops."  The  meaning  of  the  word  must  be  consid- 
ered doubtful.  The  first  of  these  chiefs  is  of  the  Tortoise  clan, 
and  the  second  is,  in  Canada,  of  the  Bear  clan.  In  Mr.  Mor- 
gan's list  he  is  of  the  Snipe  clan.  The  disruption  of  the 
Seneca  nation,  and  the  introduction  of  new  clans,  have 
thrown  this  part  of  the  list  into  confusion. 

48.  Onxh7i'akt'x/ur^i;hsho//ah,  etc.  The  verses  which  follow 
are  repeated  here  from  the  passage  of  the  Book  which  pre- 
cedes the  chanted  litany.  (See  an/r,  Section  28.)  Their 
repetition  is  intended  to  introduce  the  names  of  the  two 
chiefs  who  compo.sed  the  fourth  and  last  class  of  the  Seneca 
councillors. 

Yatcliliotinhohhaiaghkweii,  '■  they  were  at  the  doorway,"  or, 
according  to  another  version,  "they  made  the  doorway." 
The  chiefs  are  represented  as  keejjing  the  doorway  of  the 
"extended  mansion,"  which  imaged  the  confederacy. 

Kanoni^Jikcritia'nyh,  (Onon.,  Kaiiotikcitaioi,)  "entangled 
hair  given."  This  chief,  in  Canada,  is  of  the  Bear  clan  ;  in 
New  York,  according  to  Morgan's  list,  he  is  of  the  Snipe 
clan. 

Tcvoniiihokaraii'cnh,  (Onon.,  7\yoiiiNhoka7vc)i/-,)  "open 
door."      In  both  lists  he  is  of  the  Wolf  clan. 

Mr.  Morgan  (in  his  "League  of  the  Iro(|uois,"  page  68,) 
states  that  to  the  last-named  cliief,  or  "sachem,"  the  duty  of 
watching  the  door  was  assigned,  and  that  "  they  gave  liim  a 


■  "'H.. 


fi      I' 


i.l! 


I 
! 


,1-' 


m 


H 


i  1 


1G4 


THE   BOOK  OF   RITES. 


sub-sachem,  or  assistant,  to  enable  him  to  execute  this  trust." 
In  fact,  however,  every  high  chief,  or  royancr  (lord),  had  an 
assistant,  or  war  c\\k(  [roskc/imkehie-ko^va,  great  warrior),  to 
execute  his  instructions.  The  Book  of  Rites  shows  clearly 
that  the  two  chiefs  to  whom  the  duty  of  "guarding  the  door- 
way" was  assigned  were  both  nobles  of  the  first  rank.  Their 
office  also  appears  not  to  have  been  warlike.  From  the 
words  of  the  Book  it  would  seem  that  when  new  tribes  were 
received  into  the  confederacy,  these  two  councillors  had  the 
formal  office  of  "  opening  the  doorway"  to  the  new-comers 
— that  is  (as  we  may  suppose),  of  receiving  and  introducing 
their  chiefs  into  the  federal  council. 

In  another  sense  the  whole  Seneca  nation  was  deemed,  and 
was  styled  in  council,  the  Doorkeeper  i^Ronhohoiiti,  \}\.,Ronin- 
Jiohouti)  of  the  confederacy.  The  duty  of  guarding  the 
connnon  country  against  the  invasions  of  the  hostile  tribes  of 
the  west  was  specially  committed  to  them.  Their  leaders,  or 
public  representatives,  in  this  duty  would  naturally  be  the 
two  great  chiefs  of  the  nation,  Kanyateriyo  and  Shadekaron- 
yes.  The  rules  of  the  League,  however,  seem  to  have  for- 
bidden the  actual  assumption  by  the  councillors  of  any  execu- 
tive or  warlike  command.  At  least,  if  they  undertook  such 
duties,  it  must  be  as  private  men,  and  not  in  their  capacity  of 
nobles — just  as  an  English  peer  might  serve  as  an  officer  in 
the  army  or  as  an  embassador.  The  only  exceptions  recog- 
nized by  the  Iroquois  constitution  seem  to  have  been  in  the 
cases  of  Tekarilioken  and  Skanawati,  who  were  at  once 
nobles  and  war-chiefs.  (See  ante,  pages  78  and  159.)  The 
two  g.eat  Seneca  chiefs  would  therefore  find  it  necessary  to 
make  over  their  military  functions  to  their  assistants  or  war- 
chiefs.  This  may  explain  the  statement  made  by  Morgan 
("League  of  the  Iro(iuois,"  p.  74)  that  there  were  two 
special  "  war-chiefships"  created  among  the  Senecas,  to 
which  these  commands  were  assigned. 

49.  Oiif/ih  uhifyoiihoenicndiuie  kaiiikoiirakch.  The  con- 
doling chant  conc:Iudes  abruptly  witli  the  doleful  exclamation, 
"Now  we  are  dejected  in  spirit."  EnkitciiJanc,  "I  am 
becoming  poor,"  or  "wretched,"  is  apparently  a  derivative 
oi  kifeiirc,  to  pity,  and  might  be  rendered,  "  1  am  in  a  piti- 
able state."  "  We  are  miserable  in  mind,"  would  jjrobahly 
be  a  literal  version  of  this  closing  ejaculation.  Whether  it  is 
a  lament  for  the  past  glories  of  the  confederacy,  or  for  the 


.i..ji:.1ti.„f,itrmt^ 


■liU. 


■,jft  ^H^tVt^.M-'*-- 


NOTES  ON  THE  CANIENGA  BOOK. 


165 


chief  who  is  mourned,  is  a  question  which  those  who  sing 
the  words  at  the  present  day  would  probably  have  a  difhculty 
in  answering.  It  is  likely,  however,  that  the  latter  cause  of 
grief  was  in  the  minds  of  those  who  first  composed  the  chant. 
It  is  an  interesting  fact,  as  showing  the  antiquity  of  the 
names  of  the  chiefs  in  the  foregoing  list,  that  at  least  a 
fourth  of  them  are  of  doubtful  etymology.  That  their  mean- 
ing was  well  understood  when  they  were  borne  by  the 
founders  of  the  League  cannot  be  questioned.  The  changes 
of  language  or  the  uncertainties  of  oral  transmission,  in  the 
lapse  of  four  centuries,  have  made  this  large  pro])ortion  of 
them  either  obsolete  or  so  corrupt  as  to  be  no  longer  intelli- 
gible. Of  all  the  names  it  may  probably  be  affirmed  with 
truth  that  the  Indians  who  hear  them  recited  think  of 
their  primitive  meaning  as  little  as  we  ourselves  think 
of  the  meaning  of  the  family  names  or  the  English  titles 
of  nobility  which  we  hear  or  read.  To  the  Iroquois  of 
the  present  day  the  hereditary  titles  of  their  councillors  are — 
to  use  their  own  expression — "just  names,"  and  nothing 
more.  It  must  not  be  supposed,  however,  that  the  language 
itself  has  altered  in  the  same  degree.  Proper  names,  as 
is  well  known,  when  they  become  mere  appellatives,  dis- 
charged of  significance,  are  much  more  likely  to  vary  than 
the  words  of  ordinary  speech. 


1    ''■  1 

m 

*^l 

'  IH 

1^ 

'     •  ■     ^ 

11 

i  ^p 

r'       '  )l 

H 

■i  ft 

1 

1  1 

, 

1 

NOTES  ON  THE  ONONDAGA  BOOK. 


I  a.  Yo  0  nen  onen  luennisrte,  "  oh  now — now  this  day." 
It  will  be  noticed  that  this  address  of  the  "  younger  brothers" 
commences  in  nearly  the  same  words  which  begin  the  speeches 
of  the  Canienga  book.  This  similarity  of  language  exists  in 
other  parts  of  the  two  books,  though  disguised  by  the  differ- 
ence of  dialect,  and  also  by  the  very  irregular  and  corrupt 
spelling  of  the  Onondaga  book.  To  give  some  idea  of  this 
irregularity,  and  of  the  manner  in  which  the  words  of  this 
book  are  to  be  pronounced,  several  of  these  words  are  sub- 
joined, with  the  pronunciation  of  the  interpreter,  represented 
in  the  orthography  of  the  Canienga  book: 


IVords  as  written, 
wen  ni  sr  te 
ho  gar  a  nyat 
son  tar  yen 
na  ya  ne 

o  shon  ta  gon  gonar 
gar  weear  har  tye 
on  gwr  non  sen  shen  tar  cpia 
ga  nen  ar  ta  (or,  ga  nen  ar  ti) 
kon  hon  wi  sats 
o  wen  gr  ge 


As  pronounced  by  La  Fort. 
wennisaate 
hogaenyat 
sontahien 
nayeneh 
osontagongona 
gawehehatie 
ongwanonsenshentakwa 
ganenhate 
konthonwitsas 
ohwengage 
nayehiyaken. 


nar  ya  he  yr  genh 

The  letter  r,  it  will  be  seen,  is  not  a  consonant.  In  fact,  it  is 
never  heard  as  such  in  the  modern  Onondaga  dialect.  As  used 
by  i>a  Fort,  its  office  is  either  to  give  to  the  preceding  vowel  a 
the  sound  which  it  has  \\\  father,  or  by  itself  to  represent  that 
sound.  Thci?,  when  not  followed  by  r,  is  usually  sounded  like 
a  mfatc,  but  sometimes  keeps  the  sound  of  a  iwfar.  The  e 
usually  represents  the  English  e  in  be,  or,  when  followed  by 
n,  tlie  e  in  pen.  The  /  and  y  are  commonly  sounded  as  in 
the  word  city.  The  .s,''  is  always  hard,  and  is  interchangeable 
with  k.     The  /  and  d  are  also  interchangeable. 

While  the  syllables  in  the  original  are  written  separately, 
the  words  are  not  always  distinguished;  and  it  is  doubtful  if, 

166 


:\t. 


NOTES  ON  THE  ONONDAGA  BOOK. 


1G7 


in  printing,  they  have  in  all  cases  been  properly  divided. 
The  translation  of  the  interpreter,  though  tolerably  exact, 
was  not  always  literal  ;  and  in  the  brief  time  at  our  com- 
mand the  precise  meaning  of  some  of  the  words  was  not  as- 
certained. No  attempt,  therefore,  has  been  made  to  form  a 
glossary  of  this  portion  of  the  text. 

In  the  original  the  addresses  of  the  "younger  brothers" 
are  divided  into  sections,  which  are  numbered  from  one  to 
seven,  and  each  of  which,  in  the  ceremony,  is  called  to  mind 
by  its  special  wampum-string,  which  is  produced  when  the 
section  is  recited.  As  the  first  of  these  sections  is  of  much 
greater  length  than  the  others,  it  has  been  divided  in  this 
work,  for  the  purpose  of  ready  reference,  into  sub-sections, 
which  are  numbered  i  a,  i  I),  and  sc-  on. 

I  If.  N'e/i/haoiai^e/i/u'tak,  "by  the  ashes,"  or  "near  the 
hearth."  The  root-word  is  here  ai;i'/i/u',  the  Onondaga  form 
of  the  Canienga  word  akctira,  aslies,  which  is  comprised  in 
the  compound  form,  jiitdakciirokde,  in  Section  27  of  the 
Canienga  book.  It  will  be  seen  that  the  spokesman  of  the 
younger  nations  is  here  complying  strictly  with  the  law  laid 
down  in  that  section.  He  "stands  by  the  hearth  and  speaks 
a  few  words  to  comfort  those  who  are  mourning." 

1  c.  '■'■It  was  valued  at  twenty ^  The  interpreters  ex- 
plained that  by  "twenty"  was  understood  the  whole  of  their 
wampum,  which  constituted  all  tlieir  treasure.  A  human  life 
was  worth  the  whole  of  this,  and  they  freely  gave  it,  merely 
to  recall  the  memory  of  the  chief  who  was  gone.  Among 
the  Hurons,  when  a  man  had  been  killed,  and  his  kindred 
were  willing  to  renounce  their  claim  to  vengeance  on  receiv- 
ing due  satisfaction,  the  number  of  presents  of  wampum  and 
other  valuables  which  were  to  be  given  was  rigidly  prescribed 
by  their  customary  law.'  From  this  custom  would  easily  fol- 
low the  usage  of  making  similar  gifts,  in  token  of  sympathy, 
to  all  persons  who  were  mourning  the  loss  of  a  near  relative. 

I  d.  "  jJecaiisc  with  her  the  line  is  hsf.'^  The  same  senti- 
ment prevailed  among  the  Hurons.  "  For  a  Huron  killed 
by  a  Huron,"  writes  Father  Ragueneau  in  the  letter  just 
quoted,  "  thirty  gifts  are  commonly  deemed  a  sufficient  satis- 
faction. For  a  woman  forty  are  required,  because,  as  they 
say,  the  women  are  less  able  to  defend  themselves;  and,  more- 
over, they  being  the  source  whence  the  land  is  peopled,  their 
1  Relation  of  164S,  p.  80. 


r 


"T~- 


U 


1G8 


THE    BUCJK   OF    RITES. 


lives  should  be  deemed  of  more  value  to  the  commonwcaUh, 
and  their  weakness  should  have  a  stroni^er  support  in  public 
justice."  Such  was  the  reasoning  of  these  heaihcn  barbarians. 
Enlightened  Christendom  has  hardly  yet  advanced  to  the 
mark  of  these  opinions. 

I  e.  "■  Where  the  ^ravc  has  been  made, ^''  &c.  The  recital 
of  Father  Ragueneau  also  illustrates  this  ])assage.  "Then 
followed,"  he  writes,  "  nine  other  presents,  for  the  purpose,  as 
it  were,  of  erecting  a  sepulchre  for  the  deceased.  Four  of 
them  were  for  the  four  pillars  which  should  support  this  sep- 
ulchre, and  four  others  for  the  four  cross-pieces  on  which  the 
bier  of  the  dead  was  to  rest.  The  ninth  was  to  serve  as  his 
pillow." 

2.  "  I  will  make  the  sky  clear  to  you."  In  this  paragraph 
the  speaker  reminds  the  mourners,  in  the  style  of  bold  im- 
agery which  the  Iroquois  orators  affected,  that  continued 
grief  for  the  dead  would  not  be  consonant  with  the  course 
of  nature.  Though  all  might  seem  dark  to  them  now,  the 
sky  would  be  as  clear,  and  the  sun  would  shnie  as  brightly 
for  them,  as  if  their  friend  had  not  died.  Their  loss  had 
been  ir-jivitable,  and  eipially  sure  would  be  the  return  of  the 
"pleasant  days."  This  reminder,  which  may  seem  to  xis 
needless,  was  evidently  designed  as  a  reproof,  at  once  gentle 
and  forcible,  of  those  customs  of  excessive  and  protracted 
mourning  which  were  anciently  common  among  the  Huron- 
Iroquois  tribes. 

3.  "■You  must  converse  with  your  iiepheius,"  &c.  The 
"nephews"  are,  of  course,  the  chiefs  of  the  younger  nations, 
who  are  here  the  condolers.  The  mourners  are  urged  to  seek 
for  comfort  in  the  sympathy  of  their  friends,  and  not  to  reject 
the  consolations  offered  by  their  visitors  and  by  their  own 
people. 

4.  "A /id  nolo  you  can  go  out  before  the  people,  and  go  on 
with  your  duties,"  ike.  'I'his,  it  will  be  seen,  corresponds 
with  the  injunctions  of  the  Canienga  book.  (See  Section 
27,  ante,  p.  127):  "And  then  they  will  be  comforted,  and  will 
conform  to  the  great  law." 

6.  "Then  tlie  horns  shall  be  left  on  the  grave,"  &c.  The 
same  figure  is  here  used  as  in  the  Canienga  book.  Section 
23  {ante,  p.  125).  It  is  evident  that  the  importance  of  keep- 
ing up  the  succession  of  their  councillors  was  constantly  im- 
pressed on  the  minds  of  the  Iroquois  people  by  the  founders 
of  their  League. 


NOTES   ON   THE   ONONDAGA   BOOK. 


1G9 


7.  ^' And  the  next  death  will  receive  the  pouch."  The 
"mourning  wampum,"  in  modern  days,  is  left,  or  supposed 
to  be  left,  with  the  kindred  of  the  late  chief  until  another 
death  shall  occur  among  the  members  of  the  Council,  when 
it  is  to  be  passed  on  to  the  family  of  the  deceased.  This 
economy  is  made  necessary  by  the  fact  that  only  one  store  of 
such  wampum  now  exists,  as  the  article  is  no  longer  made. 
It  is  i)robal)le  that  in  ancient  times  the  wampum  was  left  i)er- 
manently  with  the  family  of  the  deceased,  as  a  memorial  of 
the  departed  chief. 

' '  Where  the  fire  is  made  and  the  smoke  is  rising, ' '  i.  e. ,  when 
you  receive  notice  that  a  Condoling  Council  is  to  be  held  in  a 
certain  place.  The  kindled  fire  and  the  rising  smoke  were 
the  well-understood  images  which  represented  the  convoca- 
tion of  their  councils.  In  the  Onondaga  book  before  re- 
ferred to  (ante,  p.  152)  a  few  pages  were  occujjied  by  what 
might  be  styled  a  pagan  sermon,  composed  of  exhortations 
addressed  to  the  chiefs,  urging  them  to  do  their  duty  to  the 
community.  The  following  is  the  commencement  of  this 
curious  composition,  which  may  serve  to  illustrate  both  the 
words  now  under  consideration  and  the  character  of  the  peo- 
ple. The  orthography  is  much  better  than  that  of  La  Fort's 
book,  the  vowels  generally  having  the  Italian  sound,  and  the 
spelling  being  tolerably  uniform.  The  translation  was  made 
by  Albert  Cusick,  and  is  for  the  most  part  closely  literal. 
The  discourse  commences  with  a  "text,"  after  the  fashion 
which  the  pagan  exhorter  had  probably  learned  from  the 
missionaries :  — 

Naye  ne  iwaton  ne  gayanencher  : 

Onen  wahagwatatjistagenhas  ne  Thatontarho.  Onen  waga- 
ycngwaeten,  naye  ne  watkaenya,  esta  netho  tina  enyontka- 
waonk.  Ne  enagenyon  nwatkaonwenjage  shanonvve  nwaka- 
yengwaeten  netho  titentyetongenta  slianonwe  nwakayen- 
gwaeten,  ne  tokat  gishens  enyagoiwayentaha  ne  oyatonwetti. 

Netho  hiya  nigawennonten  ne  ongwanencher  ne  Ayakt 
Niyongyonwenjage  ne  Tyongwehonwe. 

Otti  nawahoten  ne  oyengwaetakwit  ?  Nayehiya,  ne  agwegeh 
enhonatiwagwaisyonk  ne  hatigowanes, — tenhontatnonongwak 
gagweki, — oni  enshagotino-ongwak  ne  honityogwa,  engenk 
ne  hotisgenrhergeta,  oni  ne  genthonwisash,  oni  ne  hongwag- 
sata,  oni  ne  ashonsthateyetigaher  ne  ongwagsata;  netho 
niyoh  tehatinya  agweke  sne  sgennon  enyonnontonnyonhet, 


1' 


] 

1 


170 


THE    BOOK   OF    RITES. 


ne  hegentyogwagwcgi.  Naye  ne  hatigowanens  neye  gagwegi 
honatiiwayenni  slia  oni  nenyotik  hoiiityogwa  shanya  yagoni- 
gonheten.  Ne  tokat  gishen  naye  enyagotiwatentyeti,  negae- 
wane  akwashen  ne  honiyatwa  shanityawenih. 

Translation. 

"The  law  says  this: 

"  Now  the  council-fire  was  lighted  by  Atotarho.  Now  the 
smoke  rises  and  ascends  to  the  sky,  that  everybody  may  see 
it.  The  tribes  of  the  different  nations  where  the  smoke 
ai)peared  shall  come  directly  where  the  smoke  arises,  if,  per- 
haps, they  have  any  business  for  the  council  to  consider. 

"These  are  the  words  of  our  law, — of  the  Six  Nations  of 
Indians. 

"What  is  the  purpose  of  the  smoke?  It  is  this — that  the 
chiefs  must  all  be  honest ;  that  they  must  all  love  one  another  ; 
and  that  they  must  have  regard  for  their  people, — including 
the  women,  and  also  our  children,  and  also  those  children 
whom  we  have  not  yet  seen ;  so  much  they  must  care  for, 
tiiat  all  may  be  in  peace,  even  the  whole  nation.  It  is  the 
duty  of  the  chiefs  to  do  this,  and  they  have  the  power  to  govern 
their  people.  If  there  is  anything  to  be  done  for  the  good 
of  the  people,  it  is  their  duty  to  do  it." 

7^.  '■^  Now  I  have  finished  !  Now  shoiuhim  to  me  !^^  With 
this  laconic  exclamation,  which  calls  upon  the  nation  of 
the  late  chief  to  bring  forward  his  successor,  the  formal 
portion  of  the  ceremony — the  condolence  which  precedes 
the  installation — is  abruptly  closed. 


\\      I 


\S 


APPENDIX. 


NOTE  A. 

THE   NAMES   OF   TIIIJ    IROQUOIS   NATIONS. 

The  meaning  of  the  term  Kanonsionni,  and  of  the  other  names 
by  whicli  llie  several  nations  were  known  in  tlieir  Council,  are  fully 
explained  in  the  Introduction.  Ikit  some  account  should  bct,'iven 
of  the  names,  often  inappropriate  and  generally  much  corrupted, 
by  which  they  were  known  to  their  white  neighbors.  The  origin 
and  proper  meaning  of  the  word  Iroquois  arc  doubtful.  All  that 
can  be  said  with  certainty  is  that  the  explanation  given  by  Charle- 
voix cannot  possibly  be  correct.  "The  name  of  Iroquois,"  he 
says,  "  is  purely  French,  and  has  been  formed  from  the  term  liiro, 
'  I  have  spoken,'  a  word  by  which  these  Indians  close  all  their 
speeches,  and  iouc,  which,  when  long  drawn  out,  is  a  cry  of  sorrow, 
and  when  briefly  uttered,  is  an  exclamation  of  joy."  ^  It  might  be 
enough  to  say  of  this  derivation  that  no  other  nation  or  tribe  of 
which  we  have  any  knowledge  has  ever  borne  a  name  composed 
in  this  whimsical  fashion.  Hut  what  is  decisive  is  the  fact  that 
Champlain  had  learned  the  name  from  his  Indian  allies  before  he 
or  any  other  Frenchman,  so  far  as  is  known,  had  ever  seen  an 
Iroquois.  It  is  probable  that  the  origin  of  the  word  is  to  be  sougjit 
in  the  Huron  language;  yet,  as  this  is  similar  to  the  Iroquois 
tongue,  an  attempt  may  be  made  to  find  a  solution  in  the  latter. 
According  to  Bruyas,  the  word  giiro/c7C'a  meant  a  pipe,  and  also  a 
piece  of  tobacco, — and,  in  its  verbal  form,  to  smoke.  This  word 
is  found,  somewhat  disguised  by  aspirates,  in  t]\e  Book  of  Rites, — 
denighroghkivayen, — "let  us  two  smoke  together."  {Ante,  p.  1 14, 
Section  2).  In  the  indeterminate  form  the  verb  becomes  ierokioa, 
which  is  certainly  very  near  to  "  Iroquois."  It  might  be  rendered 
"  they  who  smoke,"  or  "  they  who  use  tobacco,"  or,  biefly,  "  the 
Tobacco  People."     This  name,  the  Tobacco  Nation  [Nation  du 

^History  of  New  France,  \'o\.  i,  p.  270. 

171 


I 


> 


f 
I 

1 


172 


THE   BOOK   OF    RITES. 


Petioi)  was  given  by  the  French,  and  pr#)ably  also  by  the  Algon- 
kins,  to  one  of  the  Huron  tribes,  the ^i^montates,  noted  for  the 
excellent  tobacco  which  they  raised  and  sold.  fhe  Iroquois  were 
equally  well  known  for  their  cultivation  of  this  plant,  of  which 
they  had  a  choice  variety.'  It  is  possible  that  their  northern 
neighbors  may  have  given  to  them  also  a  name  derived  from 
this  industry.  Another  not  improbable  supposition  might  connect 
the  name  with  that  of  a  leading  sept  among  them,  the  Bear  clan. 
This  clan,  at  least  among  the  Caniengas,  seems  to  have  been 
better  known  than  any  other  to  their  neighbors.  The  Algonkins 
knew  that  nation  as  the  Maquas,  or  Bears.  In  the  Canienga 
speech,  bear  is  ohkwari;  in  Onondaga,  the  word  becomes  o/ikiuai, 
and  in  Cayuga,  inkwai, — which  also  is  not  far  from  Iroquois. 
These  conjectures — for  they  are  nothing  more — may  both  be 
wrong ;  but  they  will  perhaps  serve  to  show  the  direction  in  which 
the  explanation  of  this  perplexing  word  is  to  be  souglit. 

The  name  of  Mhtgo  or  Mcngwe,  by  which  the  Iroquois  were 
known  to  the  Delawares  and  the  other  southern  Algonkins,  is  said 
to  be  a  contraction  of  the  Lenape  word  Maho)vj;wi,  meaning  the 
"  People  of  the  Springs."^  The  Iroquois  possessed  the  head- 
waters of  the  rivers  which  flowed  through  the  country  of  the  Dela- 
wares, and  this  explanation  of  the  name  may  therefore  be  accepted 
as  a  probable  one. 

Tlie  first  of  the  Iroquois  nations,  the  "oldest  brother"  of  the 
confederacy,  has  been  singularly  unfortunate  in  the  designations 
by  which  it  has  become  generally  known.  Tl.e  people  have  a  fine, 
sonorous  name  of  their  own,  said  to  be  derived  from  that  of  one 
of  their  ancient  towns.  This  name  is  Kanii-nkc,  "at  the  Flint." 
Kanicn,  in  their  language,  signifies  flint,  and  the  final  syllable  is 
the  same  locative  particle  which  we  find  in  Ononiakc,  "at  the 
mountain."  In  pronunciation  and  spelling,  this,  like  other  Indian 
words,  is  much  varied,  both  by  the  natives  themselves  and  by 
their  white  neighbors,  becoming  Kanickc,  Kotiycnkc,  Cahvani^e/i, 
and    Canienga.     The  latter  form,  which  accords  with  the  sister 

^"Tbe  Senecas  still  cultivate  tol)acco.  Its  name  signifies  Ulie  only 
tobacco!  because  they  consider  this  variety  superior  to  all  others." — Mor- 
gan:  Lea-^iu  of  the  Iroquois,  p.  375. 

2  E.  G.  Squier:  '  Traditions  oftlie  Algonquins,^'  in  lieach's  Indian  Mis- 
cellany, p.  28. 


iii 


APPENDIX. 


173 


names  of  Onondaga  and  Cayuga,  has  been  adopted  in  the  present 
volume. 

The  Huron  frequently  drops  the  initial  k,  or  changes  it  to  y. 
The  Canienga  people  are  styled  in  that  speech  Yanycngc,  a  word 
\vhich  is  evidently  the  origin  of  the  name  oi  Agnier,  by  which  this 
nwtion  is  known  to  the  French. 

The  Dutch  learned  from  the  Mohicans  (whose  name,  signifying 
Wolves,  is  supposed  to  be  derived  from  that  of  their  leading  clan) 
to  call  the  Kanienke  by  the  corr.  sponding  name  of  Maqua  (or 
Makwa),  the  Algonkin  word  for  Bear.  But  as  the  Iroquois,  and 
especially  the  Canicngas,  became  more  and  more  a  terror  to  the 
surrounding  nations,  the  feelings  of  aversion  and  dread  thus  awak- 
ened found  vent  in  an  opprobrious  epithet,  which  the  southern 
and  eastern  Algonkins  applied  to  their  obnoxious  neighbors.  They 
were  styled  by  these  enemies  Mowak,  or  Mowtiwak,  a  word  which 
has  been  corrupted  to  Mo/tawk.  It  is  the  third  person  plural,  in 
the  sixth  "transition,"  of  the  Algonkin  word  mowa,  which  means 
"  to  eat,"  but  which  is  only  used  of  food  that  has  had  life.  Liter- 
ally it  means  "they  eat  them;"  but  the  force  of  the  verb  and  of 
the  pronominal  inflection  suffices  to  give  to  the  word,  when  used 
as  an  appellative,  the  meaning  of  "those  who  eat  men,"  or,  in 
other  words,  "the  Cannibals."  That  the  English,  with  whom  the 
Caniengas  were  always  fast  friends,  should  have  adopted  this 
uncouth  and  spiteful  nickname  is  somewhat  surprising.  It  is  time 
that  science  and  history  should  combine  to  banish  it,  and  to 
resume  the  correct  designation.^ 

The  name  Oneida,  which  in  French  became  Ouneyouih  or  Onne- 
yote,  is  a  corruption  of  a  compound  word,  formed  of  oncnhia,  or 
onenya,  stone,  and  kaniote,  to  be  upright  or  elevated.  Oncnniote 
is  rendered  "the  projecting  stone."  It  is  applied  to  a  large  boulder 
of  syennite,  which  thrusts  its  broad  shoulder  above  the  earth  at 
the  summit  of  an  eminence  near  which,  in  early  times,  theOncidas 
had  planted  their  chief  settlement. 

1  William  I'enn  arnl  his  colonists,  who  probably  understood  the  mean- 
ing of  the  word  Mohawk,  forbore  to  employ  it.  In  the  early  records  of 
tlie  colony  (published  by  the  Pennsylvania  Historical  Society)  the  nation 
is  described  in  treaties,  laws,  and  other  jjublic  acts,  by  its  proper  designa- 
tion, a  little  distorted  in  the  spelling, — L'anyin^oes,  Ganyin^ocS,  Cay  inkers, 
etc. 


\ 


\1 


f. 


J^     «^..  .M.«r«Mr^*. -Mn^  ^    4.     «rf*n.a. 


174 


THE   BOOK   OF   RITES. 


As  has  been  already  stated,  Onondaga  is  a  softened  pronuncia- 
tion of  Onontake,  "  at  the  mountain," — or,  perhaps,  more  exactly, 
"at  the  hill."  It  is  probalile  that  this  name  was  unknown  when 
the  confederacy  was  formed,  as  it  is  not  comprised  in  the  list 
of  towns  given  in  the  Book  of  Rites.  It  may  be  supposed  to 
have  been  first  applied  to  this  ration  after  their  chief  town  was 
removed  to  the  site  which  it  occupied  in  the  year  1654,  when  the 
first  white  visitors  of  whom  we  have  any  certain  account,  the 
Jesuit  Father  Le  Moyne  and  his  party,  came  among  them, — and 
also  in  1677,  when  the  English  explorer,  Greenhalgh,  passed 
through  their  country.  This  site  was  about  seven  miles  cast  of 
their  present  Reservation.  I  visited  it  in  September,  1880,  in  com- 
pany with  my  friend,  General  John  S.  Clark,  who  has  been  singu- 
larly successful  in  identifying  the  positions  of  the  ancient  Iroquois 
towns.  The  locality  is  thus  described  in  my  journal :  "The  site 
is,  for  an  Indian  town,  peculiarly  striking  and  attractive.  It 
stretches  about  three  miles  in  length,  with  a  width  of  half  a  mile, 
along  the  broad  back  and  gently  sloping  sides  of  a  great  hill, 
which  swells,  like  a  vast  oblong  cushion,  between  two  hollows 
made  by  branches  of  a  small  stream,  known  as  Limehouse  creek. 
These  streams  and  many  springs  on  the  hillside  yielded  abund- 
ance of  water,  while  the  encircling  ridges  on  every  side  afforded 
both  firewood  and  game.  In  the  neighborhood  were  rich  valleys, 
where — as  well  as  on  the  hill  itself — the  [)eo]>le  raised  tlieir  crops 
of  corn,  beans,  pumpkins,  and  tobacco.  Tiiere  are  signs  of  a 
lar  ";e  population."  In  the  fields  of  stubble  which  occupied  the 
site  of  this  ancient  capital,  the  position  of  the  houses  could  still  be 
traced  by  the  dark  patches  of  soil;  and  a  search  of  an  hour  or  two 
rewarded  us  with  several  wampum-beads,  flint  chips,  and  a  copper 
coin  of  the  last  century.  The  owner  of  the  land,  an  intelligent 
farmer,  affirmed  that  "  wagon-loads"  of  Indian  wares, — pottery, 
hatchets,  stone  implements,  and  the  like — had  been  carried  off  by 
curiosity  seekers. 

The  name  of  the  Cayugas  (in  French  Goyogoiiin)  is  variously 
pronounced  by  the  Iroquois  themselves.  I  wrote  it  as  1  heard  it, 
at  different  times,  from  members  of  the  various  tribes,  KoyuhiuTi, 
Koiiikwc,  Kivaiukwcn,  Kayukwc.  A  Cayuga  chief  made  it  Kayu- 
kwa,  which  is  very  near  the  usual  English  pronunciation  of  the 
word.     Of  its  purport  no  satisfactory  account  could  be  oljtaincd. 


,«•)•»»-• 


APPENDIX. 


175 


One  interpreter  rendered  it  "the  fruit  country;"  another  "the 
■place  where  canoes  are  drawn  out."  Cusick,  the  historian,  trans- 
lates it  "a  mountain  risinjjf  from  the  water."  Mr.  Morgan  was 
told  that  it  meant  "the  mucky  land."  We  can  only  infer  that  the 
interpreters  were  seeking,  by  vague  resemblances,  to  recover  a  lost 
meaning. 

The  Senecas,  who  were  called  by  the  French  Tsonontouan  or 
Sonnontouan,  bore  among  the  Iroquois  various  names,  but  all 
apparently  derived  from  the  words  which  appear  in  that  appella- 
tion,— ononta,  hill,  and  Icowa  or  koxoane,  great.  The  Canicngas 
called  them  Tsonoiitowanc ;  the  Oneidas  abridged  the  word  to 
Tsontowana ;  the  Cayugas  corrupted  it  to  Onondewa ;  and  the 
Onondagas  contracted  it  yet  farther,  to  Nontona.  The  Senecas 
called  themselves  variously  Sonontowa,  Oiioiitewa,  and  A'amlcwa, 
Sonontoioane  is  probably  the  most  correct  form. 

The  word  St-ncca  is  supposed  to  be  of  Algonkin  origin,  and,  like 
Mohtuo/c,  to  have  been  given  as  an  expression  of  dislike,  or  rather 
of  hostility.  Sinako,  in  the  Delaware  tongue,  means  properly 
"Stone  Snakes;"  but  in  this  conjunction  it  is  understood,  accord- 
ing to  the  interpretation  furnished  to  Mr.  Squier,  to  signify  "  Moun- 
tain Snakes."  '  The  Dclawares,  it  appears,  were  accustomed  to 
term  all  their  enemies  "snakes."  In  this  case  they  simply 
translated  the  native  name  of  the  Iroquois  tribe  (the  "  Mountain 
People"),  and  added  this  uncomplimentary  epithet.  As  the  name, 
unlike  the  word  Mohawk,  is  readily  pronounced  by  the  people  to 
whom  it  was  given,  and  as  they  seem  to  have  in  some  measure 
accepted  it,  there  is  not  the  same  reason  for  ol:)jecting  to  its  use  as 
exists  in  the  case  of  the  latter  word,— more  especially  as  there  is 
no  absolute  certainty  that  it  is  not  really  an  Irocpiois  word.  It 
bears,  in  its  present  form,  a  close  resemblance  to  the  honorable 
"Council  name"  of  the  Onondagas, — Scnuakchte,  "theUtle-givers;" 
a  fact  which  may  perhaps  have  made  the  western  nation  more 
willing  to  adopt  it. 

1  "  Traditions  of  the  A/gonquins,''  in  Beach's  Indian  ^Miscellany,  p.  35. 


I 


H' 


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,:f*;^..;v:.  ■■%;:. 


■  I 


176 


THE    BOOK   OF   RITES. 


c 


NOTE  B. 

MEANING   OF  OHIO,   ONTARIO,  ONONTIO,  RAWENNIIO. 

The  words  Ohio,  Ontario  and  Oiiontio  (or  Yonitoiu/io) — which 
should  properly  be  pronounced  as  if  written  OJiecyo,  Ontarci'yo,-^ 
and  Onontceyo — are  commonly  rendered  "Beautiful  River," 
"Beautiful  Lake,"  "  Beautiful  Mountain."  This,  doubtless,  is  the 
meaning  which  each  of  the  words  conveys  to  an  Iroquois  of  the 
present  day,  unless  he  belongs  to  the  Tuscarora  tribe.  But  there 
can  be  no  doubt  that  the  termination  lo  (otherwise  written  iyo,  iio, 
ecyo,  etc.)  had  originally  the  sense,  not  of  "beautiful,"  but  of 
"  great."  It  is  derived  from  the  word  iviyo  (or  wiio)  which  signi- 
fies in  the  Seneca  dialect  good,  but  in  the  Tuscarora,  great.  It 
is  certain  that  the  Tuscaroras  have  preserved  the  primitive  mean- 
ing of  the  word,  which  the  Hurons  and  the  proper  Iroquois  have 
lost.  When  the  French  missionaries  first  studied  the  languages 
of  these  nations,  traces  of  the  original  usage  were  apparent.  Bru- 
yas,  in  the  "Proemium"  to  \i\%  Radices  Verboriiin  Iroquaoniin, 
(p.  14),  expressly  states  that  jo  [to]  in  composition  with  verbs, 
"signifies  magnitude."  He  gives  as  an  example,  garihuioston, 
"to  make  much  of  anything,"  from  gari/iua,  thing,  and  io,  "great, 
important."  The  Jesuit  missionaries,  in  their  AV/(i;//(^/i  for  1641, 
(p.  22)  rcinder  Onontio  "great  mountain,"  and  say  that  both 
Hurons  and  Iroquois  gave  this  title  to  the  Governor  of  that  day  as 
a  translation  of  his  name,  Montmagny. 

Ontario  is  derived  from  the  Huron  yontare,  or  ontare,  lake 
(Iroquois,  oniatare),  with  this  termination.  It  was  not  by  any 
means  the  most  beautiful  of  the  lakes  which  they  knew;  but  in 
the  early  times,  \vhcn  the  Hurons  dwelt  on  the  north  and  east  of 
it  and  the  Iroquois  on  the  south,  it  was  to  both  of  them  emphatic- 
ally "the  great  lake." 

O/iio,  in  like  manner,  is  derived,  as  M.  Cuoq  in  the  valuable 
notes  to  his  Lexicon  (p.  159)  informs  us,  from  the  obsolete  o/tiu, 
river,  now  only  used  in  the  compound  form  ohionha.  Ohia,  coa- 
lescing with  this  ancient  affix,  would  become  ohiio,  or  ohiyo,  with 
the  signification  of  "great  river,"  or,  as  the  historian  Cusick  ren- 
ders it,  "principal  stream." 

M.  Cuoq,  in  his  "  Etudes  P/iiloiogii/ues"  (p.  14)  has  well  ex- 
plained the  interesting  word  Rawenniio,  used  in  various  dialectical 


APPENDIX. 


177 


forms  by  both  Hurons  and  Iroquois,  as  the  name  of  the  deity.  It 
si:j;niries,  as  he  informs  us,  "he  is  master,"  or,  used  as  a  noun,  "  he 
who  is  master."  This,  of  course,  is  the  modern  acceptation;  but 
wc  can  gather  from  the  ancient  Huron  grammar,  translated  by 
Mr.  Wilkie,  [unte,  p.  loi)  that  the  word  had  once,  as  might  be 
supposed,  a  larger  meaning.  The  phrase,  "  it  is  the  great  master," 
in  that  grammar  (p,  io8)  is  rendered  ondaicaat  cOaroniio  or 
I'OiiHcndio.  The  Huron  nd  becomes  in  Iroquois  nn.  EOawndio 
is  undoubtedly  a  form  of  the  same  word  which  appears  in  the  Iro- 
quois Rawcnniio.  We  thus  learn  that  the  latter  word  meant 
originally  not  merely  "the  master,"  but  "the  great  master."  Its 
root  is  probably  to  be  found  in  the  Iroquois  kaiucn,  or  gaiven 
(Bruyas,  p.  64),  which  signifies  "to  belong  to  any  one,"  and  yields, 
in  combination  with  oyata,  person,  the  derivatives  gaiatawen,  to 
have  for  subject,  zx^A  gaiatawenston,  to  subject  any  one. 


NOTE  C. 


THE    ERA   OF   THE   CONFEDERACY. 


Mr.  Morgan,  in  his  work  on  "  Systems  of  Consanguinity  and 
Affinity  of  the  Human  Family"  (p.  151),  fixes  the  date  of  the 
formation  of  the  Iroquois  league  at  about  the  middle  of  the  fifteenth 
century.  He  says:  "As  near  as  can  now  be  ascertained,  the 
league  had  been  established  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  years 
when  Champlain,  in  1609,  first  encountered  the  Mohawks  within 
their  own  territories,  on  the  west  coast  of  Lake  George.  This 
would  place  the  epoch  of  its  formation  about  A.  D.,  1459."  ^^'^• 
Morgan,  as  he  informed  me,  deduced  this  conclusion  from  the 
testimony  of  the  most  intelligent  Indians  whom  he  had  consulted 
on  the  subject.  His  informants  belonged  chiefly  to  the  Seneca 
and  Tuscarora  nations.  Their  statements  are  entirely  confirmed 
by  those  of  the  Onondaga  record-keepers,  both  on  the  Syracuse 
Reservation  and  in  Canada.  When  the  chiefs  at  Onondaga  Cas- 
tle, who,  in  October,  1875,  met  to  explain  to  me  their  wampum 
records,  were  asked  how  long  it  had  been  since  their  league  was 
made,  they  replied  (as  1  find  the  answer  recorded   in  my  notes) 


f 


1, 


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10 


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I   14 


^1 


•  if,! 

is 


178 


THE    BOOK   OF   RITES. 


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I 

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Ill 
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i  ■ 

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if 


that  "  it  was  their  belief  that  the  confederacy  was  formed  about 
six  generations  before  the  white  people  came  to  these  parts." 
Hudson  ascended  the  river  to  which  he  gave  his  name  in  Sep- 
tember, 1609.  A  boat  from  iiis  ship  advanced  beyond  y\lbany, 
and  consequently  into  the  territories  of  the  League.  "  Frequent 
intercourse,"  says  Bancroft,  in  his  account  of  this  exploration, 
"was  held  with  the  astonished  natives  of  the  Algontpiin  race;  and 
the  strangers  were  welcomed  by  a  deputation  from  the  Mohawks." 
If  we  allow  twenty-five  years  to  a  generation,  the  era  of  the  con- 
federacy is  carried  back  to  a  period  a  hundred  and  fifty  years 
before  the  date  of  Hudson's  discovery, — or  to  the  year  1459.  This 
statement  of  the  Onondaga  chiefs  harmonizes,  therefore,  closely 
with  that  wliich  Mr.  Morgan  had  heard  among  the  other  nations. 

I  afterwards  (in  1882)  put  the  same  question  to  my  friend.  Chief 
John  Buck,  the  keeper  of  the  wampum-records  of  the  Canadian 
Iroquois.  He  thought  it  was  then  "  about  four  hundred  years" 
since  the  League  was  formed.  He  was  confident  that  it  was  before 
any  white  people  had  been  heard  of  by  his  nation.  This  opinion 
accords  sufficiently  with  the  more  definite  statement  of  the  New 
York  Onondagas  to  be  deemed  a  confirmation  of  that  statement. 

There  are  two  authorities  whose  opinions  differ  widely,  in  oppo- 
site directions,  from  the  information  thus  obtained  by  Mr.  Morgan 
and  myself.  David  Cusick,  in  his  "  Sketches  of  Ancient  flistory 
0/ t/w  S/x  jVat/nns,"  suppose^!  that  the  League  was  formed  "per- 
haps 1000  years  before  Columbus  discovered  America."  His 
reasons  for  tliis  supposition,  however,  do  not  l)ear  examination. 
He  makes  Atotarho  the  hereditary  title  of  a  monarcli,  like  Pharaoh 
or  Cassar,  and  states  that  thirteen  potentates  bearing  that  title  had 
"reigned"  between  the  formation  of  the  confederacy  and  the  dis- 
covery of  America  by  Columbus.  The  duration  of  each  of  these 
reigns  he  computes,  absurdly  enough,  at  exactly  fifty  years,  which, 
however,  would  give  altogether  a  term  of  only  six  hundred  and 
fifty  years.  He  supposes  the  discovery  of  America  to  have  taken 
place  during  the  reign  of  the  thirteenth  Atotarho;  and  he  adds 
tliat  the  conquest  and  dispersion  of  the  Eries  occurred  "  about  this 
time."  The  latter  event,  as  we  know,  took  place  in  1656.  It  is 
evident  that  Cusick's  chronology  is  totally  at  fault.  As  an  Iro- 
quois cliief  was  never  succeeded  by  his  sf)n,  but  often  by  his 
brother,  it  is  by  no  n^eans  improbable  that  thirteen  persons  may 


;  J; 


■:.y:. 


APPENDIX. 


179 


have  held  successively  the  title  of  Atotarho  in  the  term  of  nearly 
two  centuries,  between  the  years  1459  '^"^  1656. 

On  the  other  hand,  Heckewclder,  in  his  well-known  work  on 
the  "  History,  Manners  and  Customs  of  the  Indian  Nations,"  cites 
a  passage  from  a  manuscript  book  of  his  predecessor,  the  Rev.  C. 
Pyrhtus,  formerly  missionary  among  the  Mohawks,  from  which  a 
comparatively  recent  date  would  be  inferred  for  the  confederation. 
The  inference,  however,  is  probably  due  to  a  mistake  of  Hcckewel- 
der  himself.  The  passage,  as  it  stands  in  his  volume,'  is  as  fol- 
lows : — 

"The  Rev.  C.  Pyrhuus,  in  his  manuscript  book,  p.  234,  says: 
'The  alliance  or  confederacy  of  the  Five  Nations  was  established, 
as  near  as  can  be  conjectured,  one  age  (or  the  length  of  a  man's 
life)  before  the  white  people  (the  Dutch)  came  into  the  country. 
Thannawagc  was  the  name  of  the  aged  Indian,  a  Mohawk,  who 
first  proposed  such  an  alliance.'" 

The  words  which  Heckewclder  lias  liere  included  Ijctwcen  paren- 
theses are  apparently  explanations  whicli  he  himself  added  to  the 
original  statement  of  Pyrhtus.  The  first  of  these  glosses,  by  which 
an  "age"  is  explained  to  be  the  length  of  a  man's  life,  is  doubtless 
correct;  but  the  second,  which  identifies  the  "white  jieople"  of 
PyrhL'us  witli  tlic  Dutcli,  is  probably  wrong.  Tlic  white  people 
who  first  "came  into  the  country"  of  the  Huron-Iroc[uois  nations 
were  tlie  French,  under  Cartier.  It  was  in  the  summer  of  1535 
that  tlie  Ijold  lireton  navigator,  with  three  vessels  commissioned 
to  estal)lish  a  colony  in  Canada,  entered  the  St.  Lawrence,  and 
ascended  tlie  great  river  as  far  as  the  sites  of  Quebec  and  Mon- 
treal. He  spent  the  subsequent  winter  at  Quebec.  The  presence 
of  this  expedition,  with  its  soldiers  and  sailors  of  strange  com- 
plexion and  armed  with  terrible  weapons,  must  have  been  known 
to  all  the  tribes  dwelling  along  the  river,  and  would  naturally 
make  an  epoch  in  their  chronology.  Assuming  the  year  1535  as 
the  time  when  the  white  people  first  "  came  into  tlie  country,"  and 
taking  "  the  length  of  a  man's  life"  at  seventy-fi\c  years  'or  three 
generations)  we  should  arrive  at  the  year  1460  as  the  date  of  the 
formation  of  tlie  Iroquois  League. - 

1  P.  56  of  tlie  revised  eilition  of  1S75,  nublished  by  the  Historical 
Society  of  Pennsylvania. 

^  There  is  an  eviilent  difference  between  the  expression  used  by  my 


K' 


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180 


THE   BOOK   OF   RITES. 


The  brief  period  allowed  by  Heckewelder's  version  is  on  many 
accounts  inadmissible.  If,  when  the  Dutch  first  came  among  the 
Iroquois,  the  confederacy  had  existed  for  only  about  eighty  years, 
there  must  have  been  many  persons  then  livini^  who  had  person- 
ally known  some  of  its  founders.  It  is  quite  inconceivable  that 
the  cloud  of  mytholoi,ncal  lej^^ends  which  has  gathered  around  the 
names  of  tiiese  founders — of  which  Clark,  in  his  "Onondaga," 
gives  only  the  smaller  portion — should  have  arisen  in  so  short  a 
term.  Nor  is  it  probable  that  in  so  brief  a  period  as  has  elapsed 
since  the  date  suggested  by  Heckewelder,  a  fourth  part  of  the 
names  of  the  fifty  cliiefs  who  formed  the  first  council  would  have 
become  unintelligible,  or  at  least  doubtful  in  meaning.  School- 
craft, who  was  inclined  to  defer  to  Heckewekler's  authority  on 
this  point,  did  so  witli  evident  doubt  and  perplexity.  "We  can- 
not," he  says,  "  without  rejecting  many  positive  traditions  of  the 
Iroquois  themselves,  refuse  to  concede  a  mucli  earlier  period  to 
the  first  attempts  of  these  interesting  tribes  to  form  a  general  politi- 
cal association."* 

In  view  of  all  the  facts  there  seems  no  reason  for  withholding 
credence  from  the  clear  and  positive  statement  of  th  e  1  roquois  chron- 
iclers, who  place  the  commencement  of  their  confederate  govern- 
ment at  about  the  middle  of  the  fifteenth  century. 


NOTE    D. 


THE    HIAWATHA    MYTHS. 


While  many  of  the  narratives  of  preternatural  events  recounted 
by  Clark,  Schoolcraft  and  others,  in  which  the  name  of  Hiawatha 
occurs,  are  merely  adaptations  of  older  myths  relating  to  primitive 
Iroquois  or  Algonkin  deities,  there  are  a  few  which  are  actual  tra- 

Onondaga  informants  and  that  which  is  quoted  by  llockewelder  from 
PyrUvus.  The  latter  speaks  of  the  time  before  the  white  people  "  came 
into  the  country;"  the  Onondagas  referred  to  the  time  before  they  "  came 
to  these  parts."  Tlie  passage  cited  from  Bancroft  seems  to  indicate  that 
the  wliite  men  of  Hudson's  crew  presented  no  novel  or  startUng  aspect  to 
the  Mohawks.     The  French  had  been  "in  the  country"  before  them. 

*  "A'o/es  on  the  Iroquoiy^.  75," 


;Xirj:.. 


■,;^S'  •■'*■'"'■!  f"«'t<«.~«.»~><»»H«w„<W«T<»»**'>*'*^ •»"•»*'' 


►  ♦-ixr*  .*^„.»'~-o    .""  mt  t* 


APPENDIX. 


181 


ditions,  thoii<,'li  much  confused  and  distorted,  of  incidents  that 
really  occurred.  Among  these  is  the  story  told  by  Clark,  of  the 
marvelous  bird  by  wliich  Hiawatha's  only  dau<^htcr  was  destroyed. 
Longfellow  has  avoided  all  reference  to  this  preposterous  tale ; 
but  to  Mr.  Clark,  if  wc  may  judge  from  the  fullness  and  solemnity 
with  which  he  has  recorded  it,  it  apjjeared  very  impressive.  * 
According  to  his  narrative,  when  the  great  convention  assembled 
at  the  summons  of  Hiawatha,  to  form  the  league  of  the  Five 
Nations,  he  c.inic  to  it  in  company  with  his  darling  and  only 
daughter,  a  girl  of  twelve.  Suddenly  a  loud  rushing  sound  was 
heard.  A  dark  s[)ot  appeared  in  the  sky.  Hiawatha  warned  his 
daughter  to  be  prepared  for  the  coming  doom  from  the  (heat 
Spirit,  and  she  meekly  bowed  in  resignation.  The  dark  spot, 
rapidly  descending,  became  an  immense  bird,  which,  with  long  and 
pointed  beak  and  wide-extended  wings,  swept  down  upon  the 
beautiful  girl,  and  crushed  her  to  atoms.  Many  other  incidents 
are  added,  and  wc  are  told,  what  we  might  well  believe,  that  the 
hero's  grief  for  the  loss  so  suddenly  and  frightfully  inlhcted 
upon  him  was  intense  and  long  protracted. 

That  a  story  related  with  so  much  particularity  should  be 
utterly  without  foundation  did  not  appear  probable.  It  seemed 
not  unlikeh  that  a  daughter  of  Hiawatha  might  have  been  killed 
at  some  public  meeting,  cither  accidentally  or  purposely,  and 
possibly  by  an  Indian  belonging  to  one  of  the  bird  clans,  the 
Snipe,  the  Heron,  or  the  Crane.  But  further  incjuiry  showed  that 
even  this  conjecture  involved  more  of  what  may  be  styled  myth- 
ology than  tiie  simple  facts  called  for.  The  Onondaga  chiefs  (jn  the 
Canadian  Reserve,  when  asked  if  they  had  heard  anything  about 
a  strange  bird  causing  the  death  of  Hiawatha's  daughter,  replied 
at  once  that  the  event  was  well  known.  As  they  related  it,  the 
occurrence  became  natural  and  intelligible.  It  formed,  indeed,  a 
not  unimportant  link  in  the  chain  of  events  which  led  to  the 
establishment  of  the  confederacy.  The  catastrophe,  for  such  it 
truly  was,  took  place  not  at  the  great  assembly  which  met  for  the 
formation  of  the  league,  but  at  one  of  the  Onondaga  councils  which 
were  convened  jirior  to  that  meeting,  and  before  Hiawatha  had 
fled  to  the  Caniengas.  The  council  was  held  in  an  open  plain, 
encircled  by  a  forest,  near  which  temporary  lodges  had  been 
1  "0/ii,n<f(ii,^(7,"  Vul.  I,  p.  25. 


*\1 


I 


I 


.'  ft 


182 


THE   BOOK   OF    RITES. 


■    I 


erected  for  the  Councillors  and  their  attendants.  Hiawatha  was 
present,  accompanied  Ijy  his  daii^jhter,  the  last  surviving'  member 
of  his  family.  She  was  married,  but  still  lived  with  her  father, 
after  the  custom  of  the  people ;  for  the  wife  did  not  join  her  hus- 
band in  his  own  home  until  she  had  borne  him  a  cliild.  The  dis- 
cussions had  lasted  through  the  day,  and  at  ni>,'htfall  the  people 
retired  to  their  lod;,'es.  Hiawatha's  dauj^hter  had  been  out,  proba- 
bly with  other  women,  into  the  adjacent  woods,  to  gather  their 
light  fuel  of  dry  sticks  for  cooking.  She  was  great  with  child,  and 
moved  slowly,  with  her  faggot,  across  the  sward.  An  evil  eye  was 
upon  her.  Suddenly  the  loud  voice  of  Atotarho  was  heard,  shout- 
ing that  a  strange  bird  was  in  the  air,  and  bidding  one  of  his  best 
archers  shoot  it.  The  archer  shot,  and  the  birtl  fell.  A  sudden 
rush  took  place  from  all  quarters  toward  it,  and  in  the 
rush  Hiawatha's  daughter  was  thrown  down  and  trampled  to  death. 
No  one  could  prove  that  Atotarho  had  planned  this  terrible  blow 
at  his  great  adversary,  but  no  one  doubted  it.  Hiawatha's  grief 
was  profound;  but  it  was  then,  according  to  the  tradition  of  the 
Canadian  Onondagas, — when  the  last  tie  of  kindred  which  bound 
him  to  his  own  people  was  broken, — that  the  idea  occurred  to  him 
of  seeking  aid  among  the  eastern  nations.  ' 

Clark's  informants  also  told  him  )nuch  about  a  snow-white  canoe 
in  which  Hiawatha — or,  rather,  Ta-oun-ya-wa-tha — made  his  first 
appearance  to  human  eyes.  In  this  canoe  the  demigod  was  seen 
on  Lake  Ontario,  a[)proaching  the  shore  at  Oswego.  In  it  he 
ascended  the  river  and  its  various  branches,  removing  all  obstruc- 

1  This  account  of  the  events  which  iinmetliately  preceded  Hiawatha's 
flight  differs  somewhat  from  the  narrative  which  I  received  from  the  New 
York  Onondagas,  as  recorded  in  the  Introduction  (p.  22).  The  difference, 
however,  is  not  important ;  and  possibly,  if  it  iiad  occiured  to  me  to  in- 
(luire  of  these  latter  informants  about  the  incident  of  the  bird,  I 
miglit  have  heanl  from  tiiem  particulars  which  would  iiave  l)rought  the 
two  versions  of  the  story  still  nearer  to  accord.  Tiie  notable  fact 
is  that  the  reports  of  a  tradition  preserved  for  four  hundred  years,  in  two 
divisions  of  a  liroken  tribe,  wliich  have  been  widely  sepaiateil  for  more 
than  a  centiu-y,  should  agree  so  closely  in  all  important  particulars.  Such 
concurrence  of  dillerent  chroniclers  in  the  main  narrative  of  an  event, 
with  some  diversity  in  tlie  details,  is  usually  regarded  as  the  best  evidence 
of  the  tri'h  of  the  history. 


I  ■ 


APPENDIX. 


183 


tions,  and  destroying  all  enemies,  natural  and  preternatural.  And 
wiicn  his  work  was  completed  l)y  the  establishment  of  the  Loaj^ue, 
the  hero,  in  his  human  form  of  Hiawatha,  seated  himself  in  this 
canoe,  and  ascended  in  it  to  heaven,  amid  "the  sweetest  melody 
of  celestial  music." 

The  nucleus  and  probable  origin  of  this  singular  story  is  per- 
haps to  be  found  in  tlie  simple  fact  that  Hiawaiin,  after  his  flight 
from  the  Onondagas,  made  his  appearance  among  the  Caniengas 
a  solitary  voyager,  in  a  canoe,  in  which  he  had  lioated  down  the 
Mohawk  river.  The  canoes  of  the  Caniengas  wci'j  usually  made 
of  elm-bark,  the  birch  not  being  common  in  their  country.  If 
Hiawatha,  as  is  not  unlikely,  had  found  or  constructed  a  small 
canoe  of  birch-bark  on  the  upper  waters  of  the  stream,  and  used 
it  for  his  voyage  to  the  Canienga  town,  it  might  naturally  attract 
some  attention.  The  great  celebrity  and  high  position  which  he 
soon  attained,  and  the  important  work  which  he  accom[jlished, 
would  cause  the  people  who  adopted  him  as  a  chief  to  look  back 
upon  all  the  circumstances  of  his  first  arrival  among  them  with 
special  interest.  That  the  canoe  was  preserved  till  his  death,  and 
that  he  w.is  buried  in  it,  amid  funeral  wails  and  mournful  songs 
from  a  vast  multitude,  such  as  had  never  before  lamented  a  thief 
of  the  Kanonsionni,  may  be  deemed  proliable  enough;  and  in 
these  or  some  similar  events  we  may  look  for  the  origin  of  this 
beautiful  myth,  which  reappears,  with  such  striking  effect,  in  the 
closing  scene  of  Longfellow's  poem. 


A 


NOTE  E. 


THE   IROQUOIS  TOWNS. 

The  list  of  towns  comprised  in  the  text  contains  twenty-three 
names.  Of  this  number  only  eight  or  nine  rcscnible  names  which 
have  been  in  use  since  the  Fi\'e  Nations  were  known  to  the  whites  ; 
and  even  of  this  small  number  it  is  not  certain  that  all,  or  indeed 
any,  were  in  these  more  recent  times  applied  to  their  original 
localities.  My  friend.  General  Jcjhn  S.  Clark,  of  Auburn,  \.  ^'., 
who  has  made  a  special  study  of  the  positions  of  the  Indian  tribes 


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THE      OOK   OF    RITES. 


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and  villages,  and  whose  notes  on  this  subject  illustrate  the  excel 
lent  work  of  Dr.   Hawley  on   the  early  history  of  the  Cayuga 
nation,*  has  favored  me,  in  a  recent  letter,  with  the  following 
brief  but  valuable  summary  of  what  is  known  in  regard  to  the 
Iroquois  towns : — 

"  When  the  Mohawks  were  first  known,  they  occupied  three 
principal  towns  on  the  south  side  of  the  Mohawk  river,  between 
Canajoharie  and  Schoharie  creeks.  The  most  eastern  was  that 
of  the  "Turtles"  (or  Tortoise  clan),  and  was  usually  designated 
as  such,  and  by  the  Dutch  as  the  Lower  or  First  Castle.  The 
Middle  or  Second  Castle  was  commonly  termed  ihe  vuuige  of  the 
"Bears;"  while  the  Third  or  Upper  Castle  was  generally  called 
Teonnondoge  or  Tionnontogen,  a  name  apparently  having  reference 
to  the  'two  mountains  '  near  which  the  original  town  stood.  After 
these  towns  were  destroyed  by  the  French,  in  1666,  their  people 
removed  to  the  north  side  of  the  river, — those  of  the  lower  town 
retreating  a  few  miles  up  the  stream  to  the  rapids;  and  then  for  a 
hundred  years  this  was  generally  known  as  Caughnawaga  {A'a/i- 
uaivakc)  "At  the  Rapids."  The  Middle  or  Second  Castle  was 
called  Gandagaro  in  1670,  Kanagiro  in  1744,  etc.  The  third 
appears  to  have  retained  its  old  name  in  all  positions. 

"  Wlien  the  Oncidas  were  first  known  they  occupied  a  position 
on  the  headwaters  of  the  Oneida  inlet,  and  afterward  gradually 
drew  northward  toward  the  lake.  Their  great  town  was  usually 
called  b;  the  name  of  the  tribe,  as  Onneiot,  Onoyut,  etc.  One  site, 
occupied  about  1700,  was  called  and  known  generally  as  Kano- 
waroghare,  said  to  signify  'a  head  on  a  pole.' 

"The  Onondagas,  first  known  in  161 5,  occupied  several  sites, 
from  a  point  south  of  the  east  end  of  Oneida  lake,  where  they  were 
when  first  known,  to  the  Onondaga  valley  ;  but  in  all  cases  the  chief 
town,  when  named,  was  called  Onondaga,  from  the  name  of  the 
tribe.  Their  great  \illage  in  the  Onondaga  vallc)',  according  it) 
Zeisberger,  was  known  in  1750  as  Tagochsanagecht,  but  this  was  a 
form  derived  from  the  name  of  the  Onondagas  as  used  in  council. 
In  all  ages  this  chief  town,  wherever  located,  had  other  minor 
towns  within  from  two  to  five  miles,  but  they  are  rarely  named.  The 
great  town  was  also  divided  into  districts,  one  for  each  clan,  each  of 

^ Early  Chapters  of  Cayuga  History :  By  Charles  Ilawley,  d.u.,  I'resi- 
dent  of  the  Cayuga  Historical  Society. 


APPENDIX. 


185 


which  must  have  been  known  by  the  clan  name,  but  this  is  seldom 
referred  to.  This  rule  held  good  also  in  all  the  large  towns.  A 
'  Bear  village '  was  not  occupied  exclusively  by  members  of  the 
Bear  clan  ;  but  these  predominated  and  exercised  authority. 

"  The  Cayugas  in  1656  occupied  three  villages, — Onnontare,  on  a 
hill  near  the  Canandaigua  river, — Thiohero,  near  the  foot  of 
Cayuga  lake  (''By  the  Marsh,'  or,  'Where  the  Rushes  arc'), — and 
a  third,  which  generally  took  the  name  of  the  tribe,  Cayuga,  but 
was  occasionally  divided  into  three  districts,  like  the  other  large 
towns, 

"  The  Senecas,  when  visited  by  the  Jesuits,  occupied  two  great 
towns,  and  several  minor  villages.  The  eastern  of  the  two  towns, 
near  Victor,  was  called  Gandougarae.  The  western,  on  Moneoye 
creek,  nearly  always,  in  all  localities,  took  the  name  of  the  stream, 
which  signifies  '  bending.'  It  is  said  that  when  the  League  was  first 
formed,  it  was  agreed  that  the  two  great  Seneca  towns  should  be 
called  by  the  names  of  two  principal  sachems  ;  but  I  am  unable  to  find 
that  this  was  carried  out  in  practice.  In  La  Hontan's  narrati  ^c  of  the 
De  Nonville  expedition,  the  great  western  town  was  sepani  ted  into 
two  parts,  Thegaronhies  and  Danoncaritowi,  which  were  the  names 
of  two  important  chiefs  ;  while  De  Nonville's  and  other  accounts 
describe  it  as  Totiakton,  '  at  the  bend.'  This  discrepancy,  however, 
is  found  in  all  cases  where  the  several  towns  are  mentioned,  as  it 
was  quite  common  to  speak  of  them  by  the  name  of  the  principal 
chief.  Thus,  Cayuga  in  1750  was  called  Tagayu,  from  Togahayu, 
the  well-known  chief  sachem  ;  Onondaga  was  called  Canasatago's 
town,  etc." 

Thefreciuent  changes  in  the  positions  and  names  of  Indian  towns, 
thus  well  explained  and  excmph  ied,  will  account  for  the  fact  that 
so  few  of  the  ancient  names  in  thelistwhicli  the  tenacious  memories 
of  the  record-keepers  retained  ha\-e  comedown  in  actual  use  to  mod- 
ern times.  The  well-know  n  landmark  of  the  Oneida  stoneseems  to 
have  preserved  the  name  of  the  town, —  Oncnyute,  "  the  projecting 
rock," — from  which  the  nation  derived  its  usual  designation. 
Deserokcnh,  or,  as  the  Jesuit  missionaries  wrote  it,  Techiroi^ucn, 
was  situated  near  the  outlet  of  the  Oneida  lake,  at  the  point  where 
the  great  northern  trail  crossed  this  outlet.  A  village  of  some  im- 
portance is  likely  to  have  been  always  found  at  or  near  that  locality. 
The  saine  may  be  said  of  Deynhhcro,  or  Tiohero,  where  the  main 
M 


!        I 
1       1! 


186 


THE   BOOK   OF   RITES. 


trail  which  united  all  the  cantons  crossed  the  river  outlet  of  Lake 
Cayuga. 

In  other  cases,  though  the  identity  of  names  is  clear,  that  of  the 
localities  is  more  doubtful.  The  Kaneghsadakeh  of  the  list,  the 
"  Hill-side  town,"  may  be  the  Kanasadaga  of  the  Senecas;  but,  as 
General  Clark  remarks,  the  name  might  have  been  applied  to  any 
town  on  the  side  of  a  mountain.  In  like  manner  Dcyughsweken 
(or  Deyohsweken),  which  is  said  to  mean  "  flowing  out,"  may  have 
been  the  town  from  which  the  Oswego  river  took  its  name,  or  a 
town  at  the  mouth  of  any  other  river ;  and  Deyaokenh,  "  the  Forks," 
may  have  been  Tioga,  or  any  other  village  at  the  junction  of  two 
streams.  Jonondese  ("  it  is  a  high  hill ")  is  perhaps  the  same  name 
as  Onontare,  which  in  Charlevoix's  map  appears  as  Onnontata- 
cet ;  *  but  the  name  may  well  have  been  a  common  one.  A  few 
other  apparent  coincidences  might  be  pointed  out ;  but  of  most  of 
the  towns  in  the  list  we  can  only  say  that  no  trace  remains  in 
name  or  known  locality,  and  that  in  some  cases  even  the  meaning 
of  the  names  has  ceased  to  be  remembered.  General  Clark  sums 
up  his  conclusions  on  this  point  in  the  following  words :  "  They 
appear  to  belong  to  a  remote — 1  may  say  a  very  remote — age,  and 
not  to  be  referred  to  any  particular  known  localities  ;  and  this,  as 
it  appears  to  me,  is  more  to  the  credit  of  the  manuscript  as  an 
archaic  work." 


fir 


NOTE  F. 

THE   PRE-ARYAN    RACE   IN   EUROPE   AND   AMERICA. 

[The  following  is  the  concluding  portion  of  an  essay  on  "  Indian 
Migrations,  as  evidenced  by  Language,"  which  was  read  at  the 
Montreal  meeting  of  the  American  Association  for  the  Advance- 
ment of  Science,  in  August,  1882,  and  published  in  the  "American 
Antiquarian"  for  January  and  April,  1883.  As  the  views  set  forth 
in  this  extract  have  a  bearing  on  the  subjects  discussed  in  the 
present  work,  the  author  takes  the  opportunity  of  reproducing  them 
here  for  the  consideration  of  its  readers.] 

^  See  "Early  Chapters  of  Cayuga  History"  p.  48. 


*JUI „- 


APPENDIX. 


187 


It  will  be  noticed  that  the  evidence  of  language,  and  to  some 
extent  that  of  tradition,  leads  to  the  conclusion  that  the  course  of 
migration  of  the   Indian  tribes  has  been  from  the  Atlantic  coast 
westward   and  southward.     The  Huron-Iroquois  tribes  had   their 
pristine  seat  on  the  lower  St.   Lawrence.     The  traditions  of  the 
Algonkins  seem  to  point  to  Hudson's  Bay  and  the  coast  of  Labra- 
dor.    The  Dakota  stock  had  its  oldest  branch  east  of  the  Alleghe- 
nies,  and  possibly  (if  the  Catawba  nation  shall  be  proved  to  be  of 
that  stock )   on  the  Carolina  coast.     Philologists  are  well  aware  that 
there  is  n   ^hing  in  the  language  of  the  American  Indians  to  favor 
the  conji  oture  (for  it  is  nothing  else)  which  derives  the  race  from 
easte'  .  Asia.     But  in  western  Europe  one  community  is  known  to 
exist,  speaking  a  language  which  in  its  general  structure  manifests  a 
near  likeness  to  the  Indian  tongues.     Alone  of  all  the  races  of  the 
old  continent  the  Basques  or  Euskarians  of  northern  Spain  and  south- 
western France  have  a  speech  of  that  highly  complex  and  polysyn- 
thetic  character  which  distinguishes  the  American  languages.    There 
is  not,  indeed,  any  such  positive  similarity,  in  words  or  grammar,  as 
would  prove  a  direct  affiliation.    The  likeness  is  merely  in  the  general 
cast  and  mould  of  speech  ;  but  this  likeness  is  so  marked  as  to  have 
awakened  much  attention.     If  the  scholars  who  have  noticed  it  had 
been  aware  of  the  facts  now  adduced  with  regard  to  the  course  of 
migration  on  this  continent,  they  would  probably  have  been  led  to 
the  conclusion  that  this  similarity  in  the  type  of  speech  was  an 
evidence  of  the  unity  of  race.     There  seems  reason  to  believe  that 
Europe — at  least  in  its  southern  and  western  portions — was  occu- 
pied in  early  times  by  a  race  having  many  of  the  characteristics, 
physical  and  mental,  of  the  American  aborigines.     The  evidences 
which  lead  to  this  conclusion  arc  well  set  forth  in  Dr.   Dawson's 
recent  work  on  "  Fossil  Man."     Of  this  early  European  people,  by 
some  called  the  Iberian  race,  who  were  ultimately  overwhelmed  by 
the  Aryan  emigrants  from  central  Asia,  the  Bas(|ues  are  the  only 
survivors  that  have  retained  their  origin.il  i.mguage ;  but  all  the 
nations  of  southern  Europe,  commencing  with  the  Greeks,  show  in 
their  physical  and  mental  traits  a  large  intermixture  of  tliis  aborigi- 
nal race.     As  we  advance  westward,  the  evidence  of  tliis  infusion 
becomes  stronger,  until  in  the  Celts  of  France  and  of  the  British 


i 


188 


THE    BOOK   OF    RITES. 


Islands  it  gives  the  predominant   cast  to  the   character  of  the 
people.* 

If  the  early  population  of  Europe  were  really  similar  to  that  of 
America,  then  've  may  infer  that  it  was  composed  of  many  tribes, 
scattered  in  loose  bands  over  the  country,  and  speaking  languages 
widely  and  sometimes  radically  different,  but  all  of  a  polysynthetic 
structure.  They  were  a  bold,  proud,  adventurous  people,  good 
hunters  and  good  sailors.  In  the  latter  respect  they  were  wholly 
unlike  the  primitive  Aryans,  who,  as  was  natural  in  a  pastoral 
people  of  inland  origin,  have  always  had  in  the  east  a  terror  of  the 
ocean,  and  in  Europe  were,  within  historic  times,  the  clumsiest  and 
least  venturous  of  navigators.  If  communities  rcscmblinglhe  Iroquois 
and  the  Caribs  once  inhabited  the  British  islands  and  the  western 
coasts  of  the  adjacent  continent,  we  may  be  sure  that  their  fleets  of 
large  canoes,  such  as  have  been  exhumed  from  the  peat-deposits 
and  ancient  river-beds  of  Ireland,  Scotland,  and  France,  swarmed 
along  all  the  shores  and  estuaries  of  that  region.  Accident  or 
adventure  may  easily  have  carried  some  of  them  across  the  Atlantic, 
not  merely  once,  but  in  many  successive  emigrations  from  different 
parts  of  western  Europe.  The  distance  is  less  than  that  which  the 
canoes  of  the  Polynesians  were  accustomed  to  traverse.  The  deri- 
vation of  the  American  population  from  this  source  presents  no 
serious  improbability  whatever. - 

1  "  The  Basque  may  then  be  the  sole  surviving  relic  and  witness  of  an 
aboriginal  western  European  population,  dispossessed  by  the  intrusive  Indo- 
Europcai.  ..ibes.  It  stands  entirely  alone,  no  kindred  having  yet  been 
found  for  it  in  any  part  of  the  world.  It  is  of  an  exaggeratedly  agglutina- 
tive type,  incorporating  into  its  verb  a  variety  of  relations  which  are  almost 
everywhere  else  expressed  by  an  independent  word." — "  Thi;  liasque 
forms  a  suitable  stepping-stone  from  wliicii  to  enter  die  peculiar  linguistic 
domain  of  the  New  World,  since  there  is  no  other  dialect  of  the  Old 
World  which  so  much  resembles  in  structure  the  American  languages." — 
Professor  Whitney^  in  "Tin  Life  and  Growth  of  Lani;uai^e"  p.  258. 

2  The  distance  from  Ireland  to  Newfoundland  is  only  sixteen  hundred 
miles.  The  distance  from  the  .Sandwich  Islands  to  Tahiti  (whence 
the  natives  of  the  former  group  aftirm  that  their  ancestors  came)  is 
twenty-two  hundred  miles.  The  distance  from  the  former  islands  to  the 
Manjuesas  group,  the  nearest  inhabited  land,  is  seventeen  hundred  miles. 
The  canoes  of  the  Sandwich  Islands  (as  we  are  assured  by  Ellis,  in  his 


APPENDIX. 


189 


On  the  theory  which  seems  thus  rendered  probable,  that  the 
early  Europeans  were  of  the  same  race  as  the  Indians  of  America, 
we  are  abie  to  account  for  certain  characteristics  of  the  modern 
nations  of  Europe,  which  would  otherwise  present  to  the  student  of 
anthropology  a  perplexing  problem.  The  Aryans  of  Asia,  ancient 
and  modern,  as  we  know  them  in  the  Hindoos,  the  Persians,  and 
the  Armenians,  with  the  evidence  afforded  by  their  history,  their 
literature  and  their  present  condition,  have  always  been  utterly 
devoid  of  the  sentiment  of  political  rights.  The  love  of  freedom 
is  a  feeling  of  which  they  seem  incapable.  To  humble  themselves 
before  some  superior  power — deity,  king,  or  brahmin — seems  to  be 
with  them  a  natural  and  overpowering  inclination.  Next  to  this 
feeling  is  the  love  of  contemplation  and  of  abstract  reasoning.  A 
dreamy  life  of  worship  and  thought  is  the  highest  felicity  of  the 
Asiatic  Aryan.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  ancient  Europeans  were 
what  the  Basques  and  the  American  Indians  are  now,  they  were  a 
people  imbued  with  the  strongest  possible  sense  of  personal  inde- 
pendence, and,  resulting  from  that,  a  passion  for  political  freedom. 
They  were  also  a  shrewd,  practical,  observant  people,  with  little 
taste  for  abstract  reasoning. 

It  is  easy  to  see  that  from  a  mingling  of  two  races  of  such  oppo- 
site dispositions,  a  people  of  mixed  character  would  be  formed, 
very  similar  to  that  which  has  existed  in  Europe  since  the  advent 
of  the  Aryan  emigrants.  In  eastern  Europe,  among  the  (Jreeks 
and  Sclavonians,  where  the  Iberian  element  would  be  weakest,  the 
Aryan  characteristics  of  reverence  and  contemplation  would  be 
most  apparent.  As  we  advance  westward,  among  the  Latin  and 
Teutonic  populations,  the  sense  of  political  rights,  the  taste  for 
adventure,  and  the  observing,  practical  tendency,  would  be  more 
and  more  manifest ;  until  at  length,  among  the  wescern  Celts,  as 
among  the  American  Indians,  the  love  of  freedom  would  become 
exalted,  to  an  almost  morbid  distrust  of  all  governing  authority. 


L 


"Polynesian  Nesean-hi's")  "  seldom  exceed  fifty  feet  in  length."  In  the 
river-beds  of  France,  ancient  canoes  have  been  found  exceeding  forty  feet 
in  length.  One  was  more  than  forty  five  feet  long,  and  nearly  four  feet 
deep.  .See  the  particulars  in  Fis^uier's  "  Primilive  Mttn"  A[i])li.'toirs  edit., 
p.  177.  See  also  Prof.  D.  Wilson's  "  Prehistoric  Man"  2(1  edit.,  |).  102, 
for  a  full  discussion  of  this  question,  with  instances  of  long  canoe  voyages. 


190 


THE   BOOK   OF    RITES. 


I 


!> 


I 


If  this  theory  is  correct,  the  nations  of  modern  Europe  have 
derived  those  traits  of  character  and  those  institutions  which  have 
given  them  their  present  headship  of  power  and  civihzation  among 
the  peoples  of  the  globe,  not  from  their  Aryan  forefathers,  but 
mainly  from  this  other  portion  of  their  ancestry,  belonging  to  the 
earlier  population  which  the  Aryans  overcame  and  absorbed. 
That  this  primitive  population  was  tolerably  numerous  is  evident 
from  the  fact  that  the  Aryans,  particularly  of  the  Latin,  Teutonic,  and 
Celtic  nations,  lost  in  absorbing  it  many  vocal  elements  and  many 
grammatical  inflections  of  their  speech.  They  gained,  at  th^  same 
time,  the  self-respect,  the  love  of  liberty,  and  the  capacity  for  self- 
government,  which  were  unknown  to  them  in  their  Asiatic  home. 
Knowing  that  these  characteristics  have  always  marked  the  Amer- 
ican race,  we  need  not  be  surprised  when  modern  researches 
demonstrate  the  fact  that  many  of  our  Indian  communities  have  had 
political  systems  embodying  some  of  the  most  valuable  principles  of 
popular  government.  We  shall  no  longer  feel  inclined  to  question 
the  truth  of  the  conclusion  which  has  been  announced  by  Carli,  Dra- 
per, and  other  philosophic  investigators,  who  afifirm  that  the  Span- 
iards, in  their  conquest  of  Mexico,  Yucatan,  and  Peru,  destroyed  a 
better  form  of  society  than  that  which  they  established  in  its  place. 
The  intellectual  but  servile  Aryans  will  cease  to  attract  the  undue 
admiration  which  they  have  received  for  qualities  not  their  own ; 
and  we  shall  look  with  a  new  interest  on  the  remnant  of  the  Indian 
race,  as  possibly  representing  this  nobler  type  of  man,  whose  inex- 
tinguishable love  of  freedom  has  evoked  the  idea  of  political  rights, 
and  has  created  those  institutions  of  regulated  self-government  by 
which  genuine  civilization  and  progress  are  assured  to  the  world. 


w 


CANIENGA  GLOSSAkf. 


The  following  Glossary  comprises  all  the  words  of  the 
Canienga  text.  The  meanings  of  these  words  are  given 
as  they  were  received  from  the  interpreters.  For  most  of 
them  these  definitions  are  confirmed  by  the  dictionaries 
of  Bruyas  and  Cuoq.  Some  of  the  words,  which  are 
either  archaic  forms  or  peculiar  to  the  Council  ceremo- 
nies, are  not  found  in  those  dictionaries  ;  and  in  a  few 
instances  the  precise  purport  of  these  words  must  be 
considered  doubtful.  In  some  cases,  also,  the  force  of  a 
grammatical  inflection  or  of  an  affix  may  not  have  been 
correctly  ascertained ;  but  it  is  believed  that  the  vocabu- 
lary will  be  found,  in  general,  sufficiently  accurate  to  be 
of  service  to  the  student  who  may  desire  to  acquire  some 
knowledge  of  the  Canienga  speech. 

When  the  words  of  John  Buck's  copy  differ  in  orthog- 
raphy from  those  of  the  Johnson  MS.,  the  former  are 
added  in  brackets.  Words  cited  from  the  dictionary  of 
Bruyas  are  distinguished  by  the  letter  B  ;  tho.se  from  the 
lexicon  of  M.  Cuoq  by  C. 

A. 

Aerengh   [orenh],  far.      Hcren,  ahircn,   B.,   far;    horn, 

a/icrcn,  C,  far  away. 
Aesahhahlyenenhon   [ahesahhahiyenennyonhon],  if  thou 

hadst  fallen  (or  perished)  by  the  way.     Aha,  oha, 

ohaha,  road,  path ;  gaienneflott,  B.,  to  fall. 
Aesayatyenenghdoii  [ahcsayatyencndon],   thou   mightest 

have  been  destroyed.     Gaicnncnon,  B.,  to  fall ;  gaicn- 

191 


' 


192 


THE    BCKJR   OF    RITES. 


I 


ncnton,  to  cause  to  full.     Acsaiaticncnton  is  in  the 

perf.  subj.  passive. 
Aghsonh,  scarcely,  hardly,  while. 
Ai  (excl.),  hail !  oh  ! 

Aihaigh  (excl.),  hail !    ah  !    oh  !     More  commonly  pro- 
nounced haihai. 
Akare,  until. 
Akayongh  [akayon],  ancient.     A/caioii,  C,  old,  ancient, 

antique. 
Akonikoiiglikalideh,  they  are  suffering.    Onikonhra,  mind, 

and  ot;;a'tv,  B.,  raw.,  i.  c,  having  a  sore  mind. 
Akottluvgliyonnighshon,   one   who   belongs    to  the  Wolf 

clan.     See  Satliaghyoniiighshon. 
Akwah,  indeed,  truly,  very,  yea. 
Akwekon,  all. 
Are,  again,  sometimes. 

Ayakawcn,  one  would  have  said.    En,  B.,  to  say  (perf  subj.). 
Ayakaweron,   one    would    have  thought.     Eror,    B.,    to 

think,  to  wish. 
Ayakotyorcnhon,  one  would  be  startled,  surprised.     From 

katyeren,  to  wonder,  be  startled. 
Ayawenlicnstokenghsko   [ayawenhensthokenske],  may  it 

be  true.     Efiofi,  imvcnnon,  B., — iaiucns,  C,  to  happen ; 

togcnskc,  15. ,  tokcHskc,  C,  it  is  true.     "  May  it  happen 

to  be  true  !" 
Ayuyenkwaroghthake    [ayoyenkwarodake],   there   might 

have  been  tobacco  smoke  (apparent).     Oicnkiva,  C, 

tobacco;  garut,  B.,  to  smoke  (ppf  subj.). 


Da-cde\venhheyc    [dahedewenheyeh],   we    may    all 
Gcnheion,  gen/wic,  B.,  to  die  (subj.  mood). 


die. 


CANIKNGA   GLOSSARY. 


193 


i 


Daghsatkaglitlinghseronno  [dasatkalithoscronnc],  thou 
niiglitcst  keep  seeing.  '  See  Tcsatka;:;}itIioghscrontyc. 
Tasatkalitlioscroniic  (as  the  word  would  be  spelt  in 
modern  orthography)  appears  to  be  the  aorist  sub- 
junctive of  atkaht/ios,  to  see,  in  the  cislocative  and 
frequentative  forms. 

Daondayakottondckc,  that  they  may  hear.  Atliondc,  to 
hear. 

Doghniwcnniyu,  joint  ruler;  lit.,  they  two  are  masters. 
See  Rmvciiniyo. 

Deghsewenninckeiine,  thou  mayest  .speak.  See  Entyc- 
ivcnninekcnncJi. 

Dendewateiionghweradon,  in  our  mutual  greetings.  See 
Dcivadadcnonweronh. 

Dcnghsatkaghdonnyonhckc  [dcnsatkatoiihnyonsekeh], 
thou  wilt  be  looking  about  thee.     Atkahtlios,  to  see. 

Dcnigliroghkwayen  [dehnihrohkwayen],let  us  two  smoke. 
Garokiia,  B.,  unc  pipi\  toucJic  dc  pctim.  It  is  conjec- 
tured that  the  name  Iroquois,/,  i'.," Tobacco-people," 
may  have  been  derived  from  this  word.  See  Api^en- 
dix,  Note  A. 

Deutidewaghiieghdotcn,  we  will  replace  the  pine-tree. 
Ohuclita,  pine.  Otcn,  as  a  suffix  (according  to  M. 
Cuoq),  "  serves  to  express  the  condition,  the  manner, 
the  kind,  the  nature  of  a  thing." 

Dcnyakokwatonghsaeko  [tenyakokwennhendonghsacke], 
he  vvill  be  dying.  Dcsakknatonch,  Onon.  Diet.,  I  am 
dying  ;  kanonucnton,  B.,  sick. 

Dcuyontadenakarondako,  they  shall  take  off  his  horns. 
Onakara,  horn. 

Dcsahahishonne,  thou  art  coming  troubled. 

Desakagiiserentonyoune,  thou  comest  weeping.  Gaga- 
scra,  B.,  tear. 


I 


I 


I 


f{ 


194 


THE    BOOK   OF    RITES. 


Desanyatokenh,  in  thy  throat.    Oniata,  C,  throat,  neck. 

Desaweiinawenrato,  thy  voice  comin<:j  over.  From 
mvciina,  C,  ^t^ancuda  or  js^aiicnna,  H.,  voice,  .speech, 
word,  and  amnroii,  B.,  to  pass  over.  The  cislocativc 
prefix  dc  (Jc)  gives  the  sense  of  "hither." 

Deskenoiighweroiine  [deskenonweronne],  I  come  again 
to  greet  and  thank.  Kaniioiihncron,  B.,  to  salute 
any  one;  kaiinonhmrontdii,  to  salute  or  thank  by,  or 
for,  anything.  See  ante,  page  149,  for  an  analysis  of 
this  word. 

Detkanoron  [detkanorons],  all  but,  almost.  From  kan- 
oron,  costly,  important,  difficult. 

Dewadadenonweronh  [dewadatenonweron],  mutual  greet- 
ing.    Kaiinoiihiicron,  B.,  to  salute  any  one. 

Dewaghsadaycnhah,  in  tln^  shade.  Asatagou,  B.,  in  secret; 
asatakon,  C,  in  the  dark. 

Deyakodarakeh,  the  two  clans.  Olitara,  C,  tribe,  band. 
(Dual  or  duplicative  form.) 

Deyakonakarondon,  wearing  horns,  i.  e.,  being  chiefs. 
Oniiagara,  li ,  horn;  kixniuigaront,  having  horns; 
gaiiiiagaroiriii,  B.,  itrc  considerable. 

Dcyughnyonkwarakda  [deyohnyonkwaraktah],  at  the 
wood's  edge;  near  the  thicket.  Onniongnar,  B., 
thorn-bush,  bramble;  rt'X'A?,  C.,  beside,  near  to.  The 
word  applies  to  the  line  of  bushes  usually  found  on 
the  border  between  the  forest  and  a  clearing.  With 
the  cislocativc  prefix  de  it  means  "  on  this  side  of 
the  thicket." 

Deyughsihharaonli  [deyohsiharaonh],  there  is  a  stoppage. 
Gasiharon,  B.,  to  stop  up,  to  close. 

Deyunennyatenyon,  hostile  agencies,  opposing  forces. 
Gannenniani,  B.,  to  surprise  or  defeat  a  band ;  gan- 
nennaton,  ib.,  to  seek  to  destroy. 


ti^  _'VVM.tr;^j 


CANIENGA   GLOSSARY. 


195 


DoyiinhonglKloycnglidonh  [dcyonhoiighiloycndonh], 

mournitifj  wampum.  This  word  appears  to  :,  > 
.composed  of  three  of  Bruyas'  radices,  viz.,  gaion.  , 
wampum  belt  {collier  de  porcclainc), — gannonton,  to 
throw  wampum  for  the  dead, — and  gnicnton,  to  strike, 
whence  skaicnton,  to  return  the  Hke,  to  strike  back, 
and  gaiciitatonton,  to  give  satisfaction  for  any  one 
wounded  or  killed;  and  the  meaning  will  be  "  wam- 
pum given  as  a  satisfaction  or  consolation  for  a 
death." 

Dhatkonkoghdaj^hkwanyon  [thatkonkohdakwanyon],  in 
going  through.  Ougooii,  B.,  to  penetrate,  to  pass 
through  ;  atoiigotahkon,  V>.,  the  place  throi;[;h  which 
one  passes. 

Doglikara  [dohkara],  only  a  few.  Tohkara,  C,  only 
occasionally,  a  few,  a  small  number  of 

Doka,  if,  perhaps,  either,  or.  Toka,  C,  or,  if,  I  don't 
know. 

Donghwonghratstanyonne  [donwenratstanyonne],  coming 
over.    Aucm-oii,  B.,  to  pass  over. 

E. 

Eghdojisewayadorcglulonh      [eghdetsisewayadorehdonh], 

this    ye    considered,    ye    deliberated     about     this. 

Kaintcfrcton,  B.,  to  examine,  to  think,  to  deliberate 

about  anything. 
Eglideshotiyadorcghton,  they  again  considered.     (See  the 

preceding  word.) 
Eghnikatarakoghne   [eghnikadarakene],   such    were    the 

clans.     Ehni — ,  C,  for  ctlioni,  there  are,  so,  it  is  thus 

that ;  ohtara,  clan,  band. 
Eghnikoiili,  thus,  in  this  way. 
Eghnouweh,  thither,  yonder. 


^v 


i 


i  I'- 


\  * 


196 


THE   BOOK   OF    RITES. 


Eghtenyontatitcnranyon,  they  will   condole  with  one  an- 
other, or,  there  will  be  mutual  condolence.     Gcnten- 

ron,  B.,  kitcnrc,  C,  to  pity  any  one.     Atatitenron, 

B.,  to  deplore  one's  misery. 
Eghyendewas^nghte,  we   will   let   it  fall.     Ascnon,  B.,  to 

fall;  ascnhtoii,  ih.,  to  cause  to  fall.    . 
Eghyesaotonnihscn,  this  was  his  uncle.     S>ce. ycshodonnyh. 
Eudewaghneglulotako,  we  will  pull  up  a  pine  tree.     From 

oiichta,  pine,  and  gataknan,  gatako,  to  draw  out,  B., 

sub  voce  At. 
Enghsitskodake,  thou  wilt  be  resting,  thou  wilt  remain. 

Gcntskbte,  B.,  to  be  in  any  place. 
Entyewenninekenneh,    the    words    which    will    be    said. 

From  Kawcnna,  word  (q.  v.)  and  en,  B.,  to  say. 
Enjerennokden  (or  enyerennolcden),   they  will  finish  the 

song;  or,  the  hymn  will  be  finished.    Karcnna,  song, 

hymn;  oktc,  B.,  the  end;  to  finish. 
Enjcyewendane   [enjewendanc],   they  will   be  comforted. 

Gancicnthon,   B.,  to   be   calm.     (Tl:-.   word  should 

probably  be  written  viijcycwi-ycndaiic) 
Eiijondatenikonghketsko,  they  will  comfort,  lit.,  will  raise 

the   mind.      Oiiikoiihra,    mind,    spirit,    temper,    and 

gagctskiian,  E    ♦:o  raise  up. 
Enjondentyonko.     See  Enyonglidcntionko. 
Enjonkwakaronny,  it  will  cause  us  trouble.     Gagaronnion, 

B.,  to  do  harm  to  any  one,  to  cause  him  some  loss. 
Elnjonkwanekliercn,  we  shall  suffer  a  loss.      Wakcnckhcrcu, 

C,  not  to  know,  not  to  recognize  (/.  c,  we  shall  cease 

to  see  some  one). 
Enskat,  one,  once. 
Entkaghwatlasehlion,  will  be  vexed,  excited.     Gahuatasc, 

B.,  to  twist,  turn  round. 


(I 


■BPBKsaes 


tmmmrr^     "M,""' 


CANIENGA   GLOSSARY. 


197 


Enwadon,  it  will  be  allowed.     Watoiis,  fut.  cmcaton,  C,  to 

be  possible,  feasible,  allowed. 
Enwadonghwonjadethare,  will  mak-e  a  hole   through   the 

ground.     See  Onivoiisia. 
Eiiyairon,   they  will    say,    one  will   say.     From    oi,   B., 

fut.  cgiroit,  to  say. 
Enyakaonkodaghkwe    [enyakaonkohdakwe],   they    shall 

have  passed.     Ongbon,  V>.,  to  penetrate,  pass  through  ; 

ongotanni,  to  cause  to  penetrate,  etc. 
Enyakodcnghte,  they  (or  one)  will   be  miserable.     Gcntli- 

cuico,,  li.,  to  be  deservn'ng  of  pity. 
Enyakodokenghse  [enyakodokenseh],  they  (or  one)    ..'ill 

discover.     Gatogcnoii,  gatogciis,  13.,  to  know. 
Enyakohctsde   [enyakohetste],  he    (or  one)   will   go    on. 

Kohctsiiur,  C,  to  pass  beyond. 
Enyakoncwarontye,    they    (or    one)    will    be    surprised. 

Gannciianm,  V>.,  to  surprise. 
Enyeharako,  they  will  carry  it.     Galia,  ]>.,  to  carry  off. 
Enycken,  they  will  see.     Gagcv,  B.,  to  see. 
Enyenikonghkwendarako,  they  will   be   mourning.     Oiii- 

konhra  (q.    v.)  and  gnguciitaron,    stretched    on    the 

ground  (/.  v.,  the  mind  dejected). 
Enyerennokden.  .See  liujcrcnnokdcn. 
Enyeriglnvancndon  [enyerihwanondon],  they  will  ask  (or, 

will  wonder),     [""rom  kari/nua  (q.  v.)  and  ganntiuhii, 

B.,  to  wonder,  or  aniioiitoii,  to  seek.     Garihivanonton, 

B.,  to  ask  the  news. 
Enyerighwawotharhn,  the  business  will  be  closed.     Kari- 

hwa{(\.  v.)  and  otnrhoii,  B.,  to   grasp;  kotarhos,  C, 

to  grasp,  to  stop  by  grasping. 
Euyondcrcnnoden,  they  will  sing  it  thus.     Kivrinia,  q.  v. 

and  — oh'ii,  C,  which  "  serves  to  express  the  condi- 
tion, manner,  kind,  or  nature  of  a  thing." 


I! 


'^m^mmm 


mwm 


mm 


MM 


198 


THE    BOOK   OF    RITES. 


fi  ■     h 


Eiiyonglulentyonko,  he  will  walk  to  and  fro.     Atciition, 

B.,  to  go  away. 
Enyononghsaniratston,  it  will  strengthen  the  house.     Ka- 

ttonsa,  house,  ^nd  gaiiniratoii,  B.,  to  strengthen. 
Enyontsdareii,  they  will  weep.     Katsta/un,  C,  to  weep,  to 

shed  tears. 
Enyontyeronjiok,  they  will  be  startled.     From  katycrcn,  to 

wonder,  to  be  surprised. 
Enyurigh\va('.ttye  [enyorihwadatye],  it  will  continue  :    the 

affair  will  go  on.     From  kanzva  (q.  v.)  as  a  verb,  in 

the  progressive  form  and  future  tense. 
Etho,  thus,  so. 
Ethone,  then. 
Ethononweh,  thither. 


Hasckenh,  because.     Asekcn,  C,  for,  because. 

Henskerijfhwatonte  [enskerighwatonte],  I  will  frustrate 
their  purposes.  From  karihwa  (q.  v.)  and  aton'tou, 
B.,  to  cause  to  lose,  to  mislead. 

Hcnyon(lutsjistayi'nliagiiso[henyondatstsistayenhase],they 
will  hold  a  council,  lit.,  they  will  make  a  council 
fire.  From  katsista,  fire  ;  gatsistaicn,  B.,  to  hold  coun- 
cil, to  light  the  council  fire. 

Hone,  also.     See   Ony. 

I. 

Ic  [iih],  I. 

lese  [ise],  thou,  ye. 

lesewengli,  ye  have  said.     En,  B.,  to  say. 

Issy  [hissihj,  yonJjr,  there,     hi,  C,  there. 

J. 

Jadadeken,  thy  brother  (or  brothers).  Tsiatatckcnha,  C, 
ye  two  are  brothers. 


<**^i 


CANIENGA    GLOSSARY. 


199 


Jadakweiiiyosaon  (or  jatagwcnij'osaon),  thou  TVcrt  the 
ruler,  or,  yc  wore  the  rulers.     Sec  Jadakweniyu. 

Jadakwoniyu,  thou  art  the  ruler,  or,  ye  are  the  rulers. 
See  note  to  sec.  28,  ante,  p.  152. 

Jatatawhak,  father  and  son,  lit.,  son  of  each  other.  Ga- 
hazvak,  li.,  to  have  for  child  (reciprocal  form). 

Jathondck  (or  jatthontek),  listen  !  hearken  thou.  Imper- 
ative sing,  of  kathoiitats,  C,  athoiitaton,  B.,  to  hear. 

Jatthontcnyonk,  keep  listening  !  continue  to  hear  !  The 
frequentative  form  of  jatthontek. 

Jl  [tsi],  that,  that  which,  wherein.     See  Ji/ii. 

Jideiiglinonlioii  [jidennon],  as,  like  as.  Tcnnoii,  C,  and 
also,  but. 

Jinaya wen  lion,  the  consequences,  the  results,  lit.  what 
would  happen.     Ei'ioii,  B.,  — iaz^wiis,  C,  to  happen. 

Jinosadawen  [tsinesada wen].     See  Jinisadazvcn. 

Jini  [/.y////],  that  which,  such,  so,  so  much. 

Jiniliotiycronli,  what  they  did.  From  //.'//  (q.  v.)  and 
— kicrha,  — wakicrot,  C,  to  act,  do,  say.  This  verb 
is  always  preceded  by  some  particle,  such  as  keiiiii 
(see  how),  tsiiii  (that  which)  and  the  like. 

Jinikawennakeli,  these  the  words.     See  Jiiii  and  kaxvcnna. 

Jiui-sayadawen  [tsinesayadawenh],  that  which  has  befallen 
you.  Enoii,  B.,  to  happen  ;  gaiatauefioti,  to  happen 
to  some  one. 

Jiniyuneghrakwah  [tsiniyohnerakwa],  this  solemn  event. 
Gonncnrgoon,  B.,  to  wonder ;  Joniicragmit,  that  is 
wonderful.     See  yitneghratioah. 

Jinonwcii  [tsinonweh],  thither,  whereto. 

Jiratigiirotoiighkwakwo  [tsiradirohtonhkwakwe],  where 
they  used  to  smoke.  Gamt,  B.,  to  smoke  ;  otoiikiva, 
C,  flame.     "  Where  they  lighted  their  pipes." 

Jisauakdade  [tsisanakdate],  from  thy  seat.     See  Kanakta. 


tK^mummmmmBB 


f 


(I 


i   ' 


i 


200 


THE    BOOK  OF    RITES. 


Jiyuilakenrokdo  [tsiodakenrokde],  by  the  fireplace,  near 
the  ashes,     Akciirn,  ashes  ;  oktt\  end,  ed^e. 

Jiyathoiidek,  listen!  hearken!  Imperative  dual  oS.  kathon- 
tnfs,  I  hoar.     Sec  Jathondck. 

Joilcnaj^hstahhere,  they  made  additions  to  a  house;  they 
added  a  frame.  Gannasta,  B.,  poles  for  making  a 
house;  onasta,  C,  a  framework;  kalicreii,'^.  \.o  be 
upon. 

Joskawayendon,  there  is  again  wilderness,  waste  ground. 
Gaientlion,  B.,  to  have  fields. 

E. 

Kadon,  I  say,  I  speak.  Igatonk  (sub  voce  Eii),  B.,  I 
say ;  katoii,  C,  to  say. 

Kady  [kadi],  tlicrefore,  then.  Kafi,  C,  then,  conse- 
quently. 

KadykcMih,  because.     See  Katykcnh. 

Kaghnckonyon,  floods.  From  olineka,  water,  in  the  fre- 
quentative form.  Ganncgonnion,  B.,  there  is  much 
water. 

Kagliyaton,  it  is  written.  Kiatons,  C,  to  write.  M.  Cuoq 
says:  "the  perfect  participle  takes  an/;.-  kaJiiaton, 
written,  it  is  written."     Gaiatarc,  B.,  to  paint. 

Kajatthondck,  listen!     "Sue.  Jathoiuick. 

Ivakeghrondakwe,  they  were  collected;  were  assembled. 
Gagcroii,  B.,  to  be  together,  or,  to  put  things  or  per- 
sons somewhere. 

Kanaghsdajikowah  [kanastatsikowah],  great  framework, 
great  building.  From  kanasta,  frame,  and  kinva, 
great. 

Kauakaryonniha,  on  a  pole.  Gaunagarc,  B.,  pole,  long 
stick. 


CAMENGA   GLOSSARY. 


201 


Ivaiiakdiikwoiiniyukoli,  on  the  principal  seat.  From  kan- 
ak'ta  (q.  v.),  and  atakweuniio,  C,  principal. 

Kanakdiyiiliako,  the  plac-'  (or  seat)  nay  be  good.  From 
kiTDiakta,  place,  scar,  and — iyu,  good  (subjunctive 
mood). 

Kanakta,  mat, — hence  couch,  bed,  scat,  place. 

Kauoka,  where,  somewhere.  • 

Kanckhore,  I  believe,  I  suppose;  surely,  certainly.  Pro- 
bably from  cron,  igcn\  B.,  to  think,  or  suppose. 

Kanhonghdakdeh  [kanonhdakdeh],  by  the  wall,  or  side 
of  the  house.  Oiniliouta,  wall  of  house,  of  a  cabin; 
aktc,  beside,  athwart. 

Kanikoiirashon,  the  minds,  a  plural  form  of  Onikonlira, 
_(q.  V.) 

Kanikonrakeh,  in  mind.     See  Oiiikonhra. 

Kanonglisakdatyc  [kanonsakdatye],  outside  the  house. 
Kai/oiisaktn,  near  the  house;  from  Kanoiisa,  house, 
and  akta,  near,  beside.  The  progressive  affix  tyc 
gives  the  meaning  of  "passing  near  the  house." 

Kaii()ngh.sakonslion  [kanonsakonshon],  in  the  house. 

Kaiioiisa,  house. 

Kanoron,  important,  valuable,  serious,  difficult,  painful, 
afflicting. 

Karoiiiia,  song,  hymn,  chant. 

Kariglnvakayonli,  in  ancient  times.  From  Karilnva  (q.  v.), 
and  akaioii,  old.     See  Orightvakayoiii^h. 

Kariji'Ii watch kwonh  [karihwahtehkonh],  this  word,  which 
the  interpreters  rendered  simply  ceremony,  probably 
means  "the  fire-kindling  act,"  from  Karihwa  {c\.\.), 
and  afchkcii,  or  atcklia  {atcgn;,  atcyji,  B.),  to  burn. 

Karihwa  or  karighwa  {gariliua,  B.,  karnva,  oriuui,  C), 
thing,    affair,    business,   action,    news,   word.     This 

N 


202 


THE   BOOK   OF    RITES. 


word,  in  its  root-form  ofri/nca  (rniur)  or  H/io,  enters 

largely  into  compounds  having  reference  to  business, 

law,  office,  news,  belief,  and  the  like. 
Karonta,  tree,  log,  truak,  post. 
Kathonglinonwoh  [kathonnonweh],  I  fail,  I  lose  my  way. 

Atohon,  B.,  to  lo.se  one's  self,  to  go  astray. 
Kathongluleh,  away,   out    of  sight.      Atonhtoii,   B.  (sub 

voce  atonon),  to  cause  to  lose,  to  mislead. 
Katykenh  [kadikenh],  how  then?     Kati,  C,  then  (done); 

i'cii,  interrogative  particle. 
Kawcnna  {ganciu^a,  gaucnna,  B.;  owenna,  C),  word,  voice, 

language,  speech. 
Kayaneronh,  peace,  goodness,  justice,  law,  league.      Wa- 

kiancre,  ioiancre,  C,  to  be  good,  right,  proper  (/.  e., 

noble) ;  roianer,  he   is  a  chief.     Kaiaiicrcnscra,  law, 

government,  rule,  decree,  ordinance.     See  ante,  p.  33. 
Kayanerenghkowa,    great    peace,    great    law,  the   great 

league.     Kayaticrcnh  (q.  v.)  and  kozcui,  great. 
Kehaghshonha,  kehhasaonhah,  recent,  lately. 
Ken  (for  kento)  here. 
Keudenyethirentyonnite,  here  we  will  place  them.     See 

Kcndcrcntyonnili. 
Keudercntyonnih,  this  is  lying  here.    Probably  from  Ga  r- 

enton,  B.,  to  hang  down,  and  ionni,  to  be  extended  or 

laid  out. 
Kendousayedanc  (?)  returning  here,  (qu.,  pausing  here). 

Gasaicn,  B.,  to  be  slow  ;  gasaiatannc,  to  make  slow. 
Kenenyondatyadawenghdate,  one  shall  be  murdered  here. 

AnCHthon,  B.,  to  kill ;  Katawenthos,  C,  to  kill  many 

people,  to  massacre. 
Kcnhendewaghnatatsherodarho,  we  will  attach  a  pouch. 

Gannata,  B.,  little  bag ;  otar/ioii,  to  grasp. 
Kenkaghnekouyon,  here  floods.     See  kaghnckonyon. 


m^mf. 


m^^^m^as. 


CANILNGA   GLOSSARY. 


203 


Ivcnkarenyakt'lirondonluxh,  being  hidden  here  among  logs. 
Gagm-ennion,  R.,  to  remove  away ;  Karonta,  tree, 
log. 

Kenkine  [kcnki],  thus,  in  this  way. 

Kenkisenh  [kcnhkense],  thus,  in  this  way. 

Kenkontifaghsoton,  here  things  lying  in  ambush. 

Kenne,  thus. 

Kennikanaghsesha,  small  strings  of  wampum.  Kcnni — ha, 
C,  small,  kaiiahses,  (?)  a  string  of  wampum. 

Kcnsane,  but,  however. 

Kentekaglironghwanyon  [kondckahronwanyon],  here  ob- 
stacles.    Ga'^ronhoii,  B.,  to  place  (or  to  be)  athwart. 

Kentewaghsatayonlia,  here  in  the  dark.  Asatagon,  C,  in 
the  darkness  ;  asatagon,  B.,  in  secret. 

Kentcyurhoton,  here  to  this  opening  (or  cleared  space  in 
a  forest).     Karha,  forest. 

Kenthoh  {kciito,  C),  here. 

Konwaseraketotancsc,  here  the  uplifted  hatchet.  From 
ken,  here,  zuascra  {asera,  oscra),  hatchet,  and  gagetut, 
B.,  to  be  shown,  to  appear  above. 

Kenwedewayen,  we  place  it  here.  From  ken,  here,  and 
gaien,  B.,  to  put  in  any  place. 

Kenyoteranentonyonliah,  there  is  a  crevice  here.  From 
ken,  here,  and  ateronnonte,  B.,  having  space,  or  show- 
ing light  between  two  things  not  well  joined. 

Kenyutnyonkwaratonnyon,  here  many  thorns.  From  ken, 
here,  and  onniongnar,  B.,  thorns,  brambles.  The 
word  is  in  the  frequentative  form. 

Konnerhouyon  [konneronyon],  they  keep  thinking.  Eron, 
B.,  to  think,  to  will.     (Frequentative  form.) 

Konyennotaglikwen  [konyennedaghkwcn],  my  child,  my 
offspring.  From  eJinet,  B.,  to  hold  an  infant  in  one's 
bosom.     "  Gonyennetaknan,   says   the   Canienga   to 


; 


204 


THE    BOOK   OF   RITES. 


the  Oneida,"   B.     Konycnnetahkiven   is   properly  a 
verb  of  the  third  conjugation,  in  the  imperfect  tense, 
and  the  i :  2  transition:  "I  nursed  thee  as  a  child." 
Here  it  is  used  idiomatically  as  a  noun. 
Kowa,  kowane,  great. 

N. 

Nadelihadiline,  it  was  their  number.     See  Natcjonhne. 

Nadckakaglineronnyonghkwe  [nedekakanneronnyonkwc], 
it  was  commonly  looked  at.  Kaganncrey  B.,  to  see 
(frequentative  form,  imperfect  tense). 

Nai  (e.xclam.),  hail!  oh!  ah!  (It  is  the  exclamation  «/ 
or  hai,  with  the  particle  ne  prefixed.) 

Nakonikonra,  their  mind.     See  OnikonJira. 

Nakwali,  (?)  indeed.     See  Akivah. 

Natehotiyadoreglitonh,  they  decided  on.  Kajatcfrcton, 
B.,  to  examine,  think,  deliberate  about  anything. 

Natejonhno,  it  was  your  number;  this  was  the  size  of 
your  class.  Tcionihcs,  C,  large,  wide;  '* ken  ok  natc- 
ionhcs,  not  larger  than  that." 

Xayakoghstonde  [nayakostonde],  by  reason  of,  the  pre- 
text being.  Gastoiitoii,  B.,  to  make  a  pretext  of 
anything. 

Nayawenli,  it  may  be.  Erion,  yazvefion,  B.,  — iatvens,  C, 
to  happen.     See  Nenyaivonic. 

Naycgl)iiyasakenradake,(?)  having  a  white  neck.  Onniasa, 
B.,  neck ;  gagcnrat,  B.,  white. 

Ne,  the,  this,  that,  who,  which  (rel.).  A  demonstrative 
and  relative  particle,  variously  used,  but  always  giv- 
ing a  certain  emphasis  to  the  word  which  it  precedes. 

Nedens,  either,  or. 

Nekeiuie  (or  ne  kenh  ne),  thus. 

Nene,  the,  this,  that,  these,  those,  etc.  (an  emphatic  redu- 
plication of  ne). 


CANIENOA    GLOSSARY. 


205 


Nenyakorannc,  they  will  keep  on,  persist,  go  so  far  as. 

Gar<foti,garatuic,\l.,  to  find  any  one;  keras,kcranc, 

C,  to  api)roach  any  one,  to  come  to  liim. 
Nenyawenne,  it  may  be;  it  will  happen;  it  shall  be  done. 

Future  o{  Nnyatvciih,  q.  v. 
Nenyeriglnvancndon,  they   will  inquire.     See  EnycrigJi- 

wanendon, 
Neok,  nok,  and,  also.     (Contracted  fi-oni  nc  and  ok^ 
Neony  [neoni],  also.     See  Ne  and  Oni. 
NiateweglinLserakeh,  every  day.     From  niatc,  each,  ever)', 

and  ivcJiniscra  (or  ivcnuisera)  diiy,  with  the  locative 

participle  kc. 
Nitthatirigliwayerathaghwo    [nithariwayerathakwc],  they 

used  to  do  the  work.     From  karilnva,  business,  and 

gaicrcn,  B.,  to  do.     (Imperfect  tense.) 
Nityakwenontonl),  they  search,  inquire,  pry  into.  Aniioiiton, 

gaiincntoii,  B.,  to  seek,  search,  interrof^atc. 
Niutercnhliatye  (?)   it  was  startling.     From  katycren,  to 

wonder,  to  be  startled. 
Niwa,  extent,  size,  number. 
Niyakogliswatiiaii,   they  are    mischievous,   troublesome. 

Gasnatoii^  B.,  ctrc  nice  ha  nt. 
Niyawelikowa   [niawenhkowa],  great   thanks.     A^urwen, 

C,  thanks ;  kowa,  great. 
Niyawennonh,  it  happened.     See  Nayaiuenh. 
Niyenhlicnwe    [niyenhhenwe],    in    the   future.     — ncinuc 

relates  to  the  future,  C. 
Niyieskahhaghs,  being  borne.     GaJta,  B.,  to  carry  away. 
Niyonsakahhawe,  he  is  carried.     Gahaivi,  B.,  to  bring. 
Noghnaken,  hereafter,  afterwards,    in   later   times.     See 

Oghi  taken. 
Nonkenh,  it  may  be.     Efiou,  B.,  to  happen. 
Nonkwadoresera,  our  grandchildren.     Sec  Saacrcsera. 


:n 


206 


THE   BOOK   OF   RITES. 


i 


Nonwa,  now. 

Nyarc,  while,  previously.     Niare,  C,  beforehand. 

0. 

Oghentonh,  in  the  first  place,  foremost,  firstly.     Ga/ienton, 

B.,  to  go  first ;  ohentoii,  C,  before,  foremost,  formerly. 
Oghnaken  [onaken],  afterwards.      Olinaken,  C,  behind, 

backwards,  afterwards. 
O^fhniyawenhonh,  what   has   happened.     From   ohni,  C, 

what?  and  iaweiis,  to  happen. 
Oglinoiiekonh,  dismayed  (?)     Kannonhiannion,  B.,  to  fear, 

to  be  alarmed. 
Oghseronnili  [onhseronni], together.  Oscroniii,  C, together. 
Oghsontoraghkowa   [aghsondcrahkowah],  disease,  pesti- 
lence. 
Ohheudonh  ;   see  Oglientonh. 
Ok,  and,  also,  indeed. 
Okaghserakonh   [okaserakonh],  in  tears.     Gagasera,  B., 

tears. 
Okaghscry  [okaseri],  tears.    Okascri,  C,  tear,  from  Okahra, 

eye,  and  kcri,  liquid. 
Onakara,  horn. 
Onekwcnglularilicnli,  in   crimson   (/.  c,  in  blood).     Oni- 

gncntara,  B.,  red;  oniiigtiensa,  blood. 
Onenli  [onen].     Now;  at  last;  finally. 
Onghteh  [onhteh],  perhaps,  probably. 
Onghwa,  now,  at  present.     Ouwa,  C,  now.     (Same  as 

Nonwa) 
Ongliwajok,  presently. 
Ongliwenjakonh  [onwenjakon],  into  the  earth.     See  On- 

zvcnisia. 
Onidatkon,  deadly. 


i    \i 


CANIENGA    GLOSSARY. 


207 


Onlkonlira,  mind,  character,  disposition,  thought,  opinion, 

sentiment.     Gaiidigon'^ra,  B,,  esprit,  pCHsie. 
Onkwaglisotshera  [onkwasotsera],  our  forefathers.     The 

root  i.s  sot,  meanin<j  ffrandparent.     Kak'sotha,  C,  my 

grandfather;     ak'sotha,   my   grandmother;     onkwa, 

our;  sera,  the  "  crement,"  generahzing  the  word. 
Onkwaglisotshcrashonhkenha,    our    deceased    forefathers. 

See  Oiihoaghsotshcra.    Shon  {son)  is  the  plural  suffix ; 

kcnha,  decea.sed,  "the  late"  (the  French /«/). 
Onok.and,  and  then.     See  On}\  Ok  and  A^eok. 
Onokna,  and  then. 
Onwa,  now.     See  OngJnva. 
Onwcntsia,  earth,  land,  field,  ground. 
Ony  l^oni],  also.     Sec  Ncony. 
Origliokonha,   few  words.       From  karUnva   (q.  v.),    and 

okonha,  an  affix  indicating  a  restricted  plural. 
Orighwakayongh   [oriwakayon],  in  ancient  times.      See 

Karilnoa  and  AkayotigJi. 
Orighwakwckonh  [oriwakwekon],all  business,  all  matters, 

all  the  rules.     See  Kari/nva  and  Akwekon. 
Owenna.     See  Kawcnna. 
Oya  [oyah],  another,  another  thing. 
Oyata  (or  oyada),  body,  person,  some  one,  self     Oiaia, 

C,  body,  person;  gaiata,  B.,  living  thing. 
Oyeukondonh,  men,  warriors  (obsolete). 

R. 

Radiyat.s.     See  Ratiyats. 

Rakowanenh,  he  is  chief  (lit.  he  is  a  great  one).  From 
ktmnincii,  to  be  great ;  root,  kcnca,  great. 

Ranyaglulenghslion  [ranyadcnhshon],  he  is  of  the  Tor- 
toise clan.     Kcniahtcii,  C,  to  be  of  the  Tortoise  band. 


»l 


.  ^   ...    •  w  *  . 


nfl 


208 


THE   HOOK  OF    RIFHS. 


Ratiko\vuii(>npr]isU\vo,  they  were  ^reat.  3d  person,  plural, 
imperfect  o^  l-(Kviiiicii,  io  be  ^reat.    See  Rnkinciiiicii/i. 

HutiyaiiariMiyoii  [radiyaiiaromiyon],  their  many  foot- 
marks, or  traces.  Gtiianiia,  B.,  oiaiia,  C,  track, 
trace  (frequentative  form).  Gauminaronyon,  B.,  there 
are  many  tracks. 

Ratiyats,  they  call  it.  3d  person,  plural,  of  Gaiers.^t,  B., 
to  name,  to  call. 

llawt'ghniseronnyh  [rawenniseronni],  he  appoints  (lit. 
makes)  the  day.  From  ich'ghniscra,  day,  and  Ivnitis, 
C,  to  make. 

Rawcnniyo  [rawenniyoh],  God  (lit.  he  is  a  master).  Ke- 
xvcniio,  C,  to  be  master.     See  Appcndi.x,  note  H. 

Ruxhottaliyli,  my  foref.ithers.  Rn/Vsot/ur,  C,  my  grand- 
father. 

Rogliskonrakoiflidokowah,  he  is  a  war-chief.  Oskcnra,  C, 
war  ;  roskciirakchtc,  warrior  ;  kcnva,  great. 

R(x]ij]jl)'ik(MU'akei;;hd<;tlKi>ihkwe  [rodiskenrakedetahkwe], 
they  were  warriors.  3d  pers.  pi.  imperfect  of /vjXr//- 
rakchte,  he  is  a  warrior. 

Rokliawah,  his  son.  Gahanak,  B.,  to  have  for  child; 
iiilianak,  my  child. 

Rokwalihokowah,  he  is  the  great  wolf.  Okivalio,  wolf; 
koiva,  great. 

Ronarasehscn,  they  arc  cousins.     See  YcsJiotiarasc. 

Rouatcnnossomloiiglikwo  [rundennoshentonhkwe],  they 
used  to  meet  (lit.,  to  fraternize).  3d  pers.  pi.  imper- 
fect of  atcniiosseii,  to  be  brother  and  sister. 

Ronenli,  they  said.  En,  B..  to  say  (used  only  in  the 
preterite). 

Roncronh,  they  thought.     Eron,  B.,  to  think. 

Ronkoglisotah,  nn-  forefathers.  See  Oiikicaghsots/icra  and 
Rax/wttahyh. 


•i..,.lf 


CANIENGA   GLOSSAHY. 


200 


Roslfcrewakc,  he  is  of  the  Bear  clan.  Akskcrrd'akc,  C,  to 
be  of  the  band  of  the  Hear. 

R  tiri>.?h\vi.s()n,  they  made  the  rule,  they  decided.  See 
Karilni'd.  Gimhiison,  B.,  to  finish  a  matter,  to  con- 
clude. 


SadorcHcra,  thy  grandchildren.  Atcrc,  grandchild;  sera, 
the  crement,  generalizing  the  word.  See  Onkxvagh- 
sots/icra. 

SaiioD'.Uikon,  in  thy  ears.     Ahoiita,  B.,  car. 

Sunokonli,  althou^li.  yet,  nevertheless. 

Sanokhorcnhonh,  thou  art  losing. 

Sanlioghtyoii.sora,  thy  women,  thy  womankind.  Gannlw- 
tii'H,  B.,  woman;  sera,  the  generalizing  affi.x.  See 
Sadcrcscra. 

Sauikonra,  thy  mind.     See  Onikonhra. 

Satluigliyoniiislion,  thou  art  of  the  Wolf  clan.  Taldonni, 
one  of  the  Wolf  clan. 

Seniriglnvisaanoiighkwc,  ye  two  were  the  founders.  See 
SciuarigJavisaanonglikwc. 

Seniyatagwoiiiyohkwe,  ye  two  were  the  principals.  See 
Jadahn'cniyii ;  the  affix  Irtoc  indicates  the  past  tense. 

Sewarigliwisaanonglikwc  [sewarihwisahanonkwe],  ye  es- 
tablished, ye  were  the  founders.  From  karihua, 
q.  v.,  ?^x\dgasflll,  I^.,  to  finish,  to  consummate.  Garih- 
wisaani,  B.,  to  accomplish  a  work,  to  complete  a 
business. 

Sevvatarighwakliaonghkwc,  ye  were  combined  in  the  work, 
ye  joined  heartily  in  the  business.  From  kariJma, 
(q.  V.)  and  gagaon,  B.,  to  find  good;  garihuagdon, 
B.,  to  like  the  affair. 

Seweghne  [sewenghne],  ye  said.     En,  B.,  to  say. 


210 


THE   BOOK   OF   RITES. 


Seweghniserathagh,  for  a  time,  lit.,  for  a  day.    See  Weg/i- 

niserach'. 
Seweryenghskwe,  ye  who  were  comrades.  (?)     Probably 

from  Oeri,  C,  friend,  comrade, — here  a  verb  in  the 

imperfect  tense. 
Shehawch  [shehawa],  thy  child,  or  children.     See  Rohha- 

IV  all. 
Shckonh,  yet,  still.     Sckoii,  C.,  still,  moreover. 
Shihonadewiraratye,  they  with  their    children  (lit.,  they 

kept  on  producing  young  ones).     From /odczuimn', 

a  fowl  hatching. 
Skaondayendon,  again  a  waste  place.     Oyentc,  B.,  woods  ; 

gaiciiihon,  to  have  fields.     (Reiterative  form). 
Skarcnhesekowah,    a    lofty   tree ;    lit.,    a    great  tree-top. 

From  garcnha,  B.,  tree-top,  esc  (suffix)  long,  high, 

and  kmva,  great. 
Skennen,  well,  easiiy,  peacefully,  pleasantly. 
Skonnenji,  quite  well,  very  peacefully,  safely.    From  sken- 
nen and  tsi,  C.  an  augmentative  affix. 

T. 

Tehhodidarakeh,  the  two  clans.     See  Tekadarakchne. 
Tehotyatakarorenh,  acting  in  two  capacities  (lit.,  a  person 

divided).     From  oiata,  person,  and  tionn,  B.,  to  split. 
Tekadarakchne,  there   were   two  clans,   or,    of  the    two 

clari-^.     From  otara  or  katara,  clan  or  totem  (in  the 

reduplicate  form  and  past  tense). 
Tesatkaghtlioghscrontye      [tesatk.ihthohserontye],     thou 

sawest  in  coming.    Katkathos,  C,  to  see,  look.    The 

cislocative,  frequentative,  and  progressive   forms  are 

all  combined   in   this   expressive   word — "  you  kept 

seeing  as  you  came." 


CANIENGA   GLOSSARY. 


211 


Thadenyedane  (?),  he  will  stand.      Gataoii,   B.,  to  raise 

himself  upright. 
Thadensoglisatkaghthonnyonhcke    [thadcnsehsatkatonny- 

onhekt],  thou  mayest  look  about  thee.     Katkathos, 

C,  to  look  (frequentative  form,  subjunctive  mood). 
Thadetyatroghkwaaekcnh,    let   us   two    smoke   together, 

From  garokna,  B.,  kahrokiva,  C,  a  pipe.      Bruyas 

gives  the  derivative  form  tiiatroknaiiiicgcit,  but  does 

not  explain  it ;  it  evidently  means,  "  let  us  (pi.)  smoke 

together." 
Thensadoudeke,  thou  wilt  hear.     Athoiitc,  athontatou,  B., 

kathontats,  C,  to  hear,  obey,  consent. 
Thienkaliliawe,  will  carry.     Gahmui,  B.,  to  bring. 
Thisayatatirliehon  [thisayadadirhehon],  thou  arrivest. 
Tluscnnckwakcnry,  thou  art  sitting  in  blood.     Gaiincgiic, 

B.,  blood,  and  gdgcf/n'o/i,  to  roll,  to  wallow. 
Thiwakwekonli  [ohtihwakwekonh],  all  around. 
Tliiyaonsayokoii,  they  will  see  it  again.     Gagcii,  B.,  to  see. 
Tliiycnjidewatyen<i;ii.saoko  [thienjidewatyenseke],  we  shall 

have  reached  home;  lit.,  we  shall  have  taken  a  seat. 

Aticiit,  aticn,  B.,  to  sit  down. 
Tsini ;  sec  /i//i. 
Tslsaronkatah,  thy   hearing.      Aroitgcii,  B.,   to   hear,   to 

listen  ;   arongaton,  B.,  to  hear  by  anything. 
Tyewcnniiickeniie,  he  will  speak  some  words.     See  Enty- 

cxvcnniiiekcinicli. 
Tycyadakoron,  bodies  are  lying.     Oyata,  body ;  gcgcroii, 

B.,  to  be  in  any  place. 
Tyoghnawatcnji'lijilionh    [dyonawaghdehtsihonh],  a  swift 

current.     Ohiiauur,  C,  current,  swift  stream  of  water; 

•gaiiiurntc'toii,  B.,  swift  river;  tsUion,  an  augmentative 

suffix, — "  exceedingly  swift." 


■? 


212 


THE    BOOK   OF    RITES. 


i 

(      i 


l- 


'.  f 


fe" 


w. 

AVaahkwaclowayGiulonh,  taking  care,  carefully.  Atcmyen- 
toii,  B.,  to  take  care,  to  do  well. 

Waghontenhnoiiterontye,  or  Wahhondennontcrontye,  they 
were  as  brothers  thenceforth.  Atciiiionta'on,  to  be 
brothers.  The  word  is  in  the  aorist  indicative,  3d 
pers.  pi.,  progressive  form  (indicated  by  the  termina- 
tion tye). 

Wahhoronghyaroinion,  he  put  away  the  clouds.  From 
aronhia,  sky,  heaven,  cloud. 

Wakarighwakayone  [wakarihwakayonne],  it  has  become 
old.     See  Karighw(ikayo)ih. 

^Vakatyerenkowa,  I  was  greatly  surprised.  From  katy- 
cirii,  to  wonder,  or  be  startled,  and  kozva,  greatly. 

Wakonnyh  [wakonnikih],  woman,  womankind.  (Obso- 
lete.) 

Wukwenekwenglularokwanyon,  we  have  washed  off  the 
bloodstains.  GaragHcntara,  B.,  blood,  d^ndgaraguan, 
to  take  away,  or  garagucgaii,  to  efface. 

Wakweniiyonkoglide,  I  have  stopped  for  you  (as  tears). 
Probably  from  ^'■(^^////w;/^,  B.,  the  nose;  kaniiioiikoii, 
to  bleed  from  the  nose,  /.  c,  flowing  from  the  nose. 

Watideweniiakarondonyon,  we  have  put  the  horns  on 
him  (/.  c,  made  hiin  a  chief).  Oiinagara,  B.,  horn  ; 
gaiiiiagaroniii,  B.,  ctir  considerable. 

Watyakwasiliarako,  we  have  removed  the  obstruction, 
we  have  unstopped.  Gasiharoiignaii,  B.,  to  unstop 
{cicsboiic/u'f). 

Watyonkwentendane,  we  have  become  wretched,  or  poor. 
GcnOcntcon,  B.,  to  be  worthy  of  compassion. 

Wedeweyennendane  (see  under  Wete — ). 
Wedewennakeraghdanyon  (see  under  Wete — ). 


I 


CANIENGA    GLOSSARY. 


213 


Wcghniscradc  [wcnniseradc],  to-day.     Enniscra,  B.,  da}' ; 

nomva  xvoniiserate,  C,  to-day. 
Wetewayenneiidane,  we  liavc  finished.      Ginvcycnnentdon , 

B.,  to  rest,  to  cease  from  working. 
Wetewcnuakeraghdanyon     [wedcwcnnakeratanyon],     we 

have  made  the  signs,  we-  have  gone  through  the 

ceremonies.     Ganneraton,  B.,  '^ sc  scrvir  de  regie" 

Y. 

Yadayakonakarondatye,  he  may  be  going  with   horns. 

From  onakara,  horn  (progressive  form,  subjunctive 

mood). 
Yadelininliohlianonghno,   they    two   guarded    the    door, 

they  two  were  the  doorkeepers.     Gannhoha,  B.,  door ; 

ganiioiiiia,  to  guard. 
Yaghdc.'kakoghsondo      [yaghdegagonhsonde],      invisible, 

(Ht..   without  face) ;    from  yahtc,  not,  and  kakoiihsa 

[o/consa)  face. 
Yaglinonwenh,  never.     lali-nomventon,  C,  never.     From 

lali  {yah)  not,  and  iioinva  or  oiizua,  now. 
Yakwonroiih,  we  say.     En,  ]^.,  to  .say. 
Yatchhotiiiliohliataglikwcn,  they    were    together  at    the 

doorway  (/.  c,  they  were  the  doorkeepers).       Gann- 
hoha, B.,   door;  atakoii,  \\.  {sub  voce  At),  " cc  dans 

qiioi  il y  a." 
Yatcnkarigliwoiitascron,    to    finish    the    business.     From 

kariliiva  (q.  v.)  and  aivcntas,  to  finish. 
Ycjisewaliliawitunli,  ye  have  taken  it  with  you.     GaJiani, 

B.,  to  bring  ;  gahaniton,  to  take  away. 
Yeji-sewatkonscraglikwanyon,    ye    have    it   as    a    pillow. 

Esakonscrakua,  W.,  thou  wilt  use  as  a  pillow. 
Yejiseway;i(lkeron     [yotsisewayatakeron],    ye     are    laid 

together.     Gagcron,    B.,    to    be    together,   t       ,   ace 

together. 


) 


R 


214 


THE    BOOK   OF    RITES. 


P  ii 


Yejodcnaglistaliliere,  they  added  a  frame.  Sec  Jodcn- 
uaglistalilicrc. 

Yendewanagh.sciulc,  we  will  drop  (or  let  fall)  into  it- 
AscTion  (?),  B.,  to  fall ;  asciihton,  to  cause  to  fall. 

Yenjontaliiduh,  they  will  follow.  Gata^on,  gatayj,  B.,  to 
run. 

Yenyontatcnontsiuuc,  they  are  to  be  led  by  the  hand. 
Probably  from  gaiuioiuia,  B.,  to  keep,  and  atsi, 
comrade. 

Yenyontatideron,  they  shall  be  placed.  Gcntcron,  B.,  to 
put  any  animate  thing  in  any  place. 

Yeshodoniiyli,  or  Yeshotonnyh,  his  uncle  (properly,  "  his 
father's  younger  brother  ")  ;  also,  as  pi.,  his  uncles. 
'Atoiiiii,  C,  a  relative  on  the  father's  side.  The 
prefix  jr.y,  in  which  the  signs  of  the  translocative  and 
reiterative  forms  are  combined,  gives  the  sense  of 
"  the  ne.xt  younger  (uncle)  but  one." 

Yeshohawah,  or  Yeshohawcvk,  his  next  younger  child  but 
one.     See  Rohhaivah,  and  Ycshodoiinyh. 

Ycshonadadekcnah,  or  Yeshondadekenah,  they  are 
brothers.  Roiitatckenha,  C,  they  are  brothers  to- 
gether. This  word  is  made  up  of  the  prefix  j'i",  the 
sign  of  the  translocative  form ;  s,  of  the  reiterative 
form  (see  YcsliodonnyJi);  ran  ov  roiia,  the  plural  pro- 
noun (they);  tate,  the  sign  of  the  reciprocal  form; 
Xyv/,  younger  brother;  Txwdha,  an  affiectionate  diminu- 
tive affix,  generally  added  to  words  expressing 
relationship. 

Yeshonarase,  his  second  cousin  (lit.,  they  are  cousins). 
Anxse,  cousin.     See  Yeshodonnyh. 

Yeshonarasoshen,  he  was  their  cousin.     See  YcsJionarase. 

Yoshotiriwayen,  they  have  again  referred  the  business. 
From  kari/nva,  q.  v. 


:h 


CANIENGA   GLOSSARY. 


215 


Yctsiscvvancnyadanyon,  yc  arc  in  your  graves.     Perhaps 

from  oiiciiya,  stone, — yc  are  under  the  stones. 
Yetsisewanoiiwiularyon,  ye  have  taken  your  intellects  (lit., 

brains)  with  you.     Oiioiiwnra,  C,  brain,  head. 
Yetsiseweiinitskagwanion,  ye   have  placed   it  under  you. 

Ennitskiuxre,  B.,  to  be  seated  on  anythin<^. 
Yondonghs,  it  is  called;  they  call  it.     Katoit,  C,  to  say. 
Yonkwakaronny,  they  are  wasting,  or  injuring,  us.    Gaga- 

ronnion,  H.,  to  do  harm  to  any  one ;  to  cause  him  some 

loss. 
Yonkwanikonghtaglikwenne     [yonkwennikondakwenne], 

we  depended  on  them. 
Yontkwatkennison,  we  are  assembled.     Atkouiison,  R.,  to 

be  assembled. 
Yotdakarahon    [)'otdarahon],    things     falling     on    one. 

Ganion,  B.,  to  fall  upon. 
Yoyanere,  it  is  good,  it  is  well.     From  the  root  yaiur, 

noble.     See  Kayaiicnnh. 
Yuucghrakwah,  solemn  event.     Sc<i  Jinijuncghrakzvah. 


INDEX. 


1^ 


{Names  of  atiihors  are  printed  in  small  capitals  ;  of  races  and 
tribes  in  italic.) 

Adoption  of  conquered  enemies,  32,  '  Hall  clan,  ^t„  161 


05; 

Ai^nicr,  French  for  Canienfja,  173. 
Akahenyonk,  Cayufja  chief,  27,  76. 

Tckahenyonk    in    chant,    137, 
161. 
Al!;onkin  stock,  11. 
Algonkins,  a  nomadic  people,  II. 

their  war  with  the  Alli^'ewi,  II. 

friendly  to  the  Hiirons,  16. 

western  (Ojibways),  32. 

the  Lenapes.  92. 
Alleijheny  mountains,  11,  14. 
Allegheny  river,  11,  14. 
Alliances  of  Iroquois,  32,  89. 
Allii;e7iii,  or  Ar>undl>uilders,  1 1 ,  24, 
Andastes,  or  Conrs/oi^as,  10,  15. 

among  the  Iroipiois,  ^K,,  q^. 
Aryans,  their  character,  38.  1S8. 

in  Europe  and  Asia,  98,  1 87. 
Ataensic,  a  Huron  divinity,  74. 
Atotarho,  Onondaga  chief,  20. 

meaning  of  name,  20,  157. 

his  opposition  to  Hiawatha,  22, 

27- 

joins  the  I-eague,  28. 
myths  relating  to,  20,  3";,  86. 
political  kinship,  76,  157. 
legend  of  poisonous  bird,  86. 
story  of  Hiaw.itha's  daughter, 

182. 
his  name  in  the  chant,  133. 
his  aids  in  council,  27,  157. 
succession  of  Atotarhos,  178. 
Attiivandaranks,  or  Neutrals,  lo. 
their  country,  16. 
their  history,  16. 
among  the  Ilurons,  55,  95. 
their  mortuary  customs,  70. 
cause  of  their  overthrow,  95. 


Ras(]ues,  their  language,  187. 

their  character,  188. 
Rear  clan,   53,   148,  155,   157,  158, 

161,  163,  172. 
Rearfoot,  Rev.  Isaac,  144. 
Beaver  clan,  53,  157. 
Book  of  Rites,  36,  39. 

its  contents,  37. 

its  origin,  41. 

its  name,  48. 

addresses   of    condolence,   60, 

121,  141. 

Canienga  text,  1 16. 

translation,  117. 

Onondaga  hook,  140. 

translation,  141. 

notes  on  Canienga  book,  146. 
"        Onondaga  book,  1 65. 
Brant,  Joseph,  34,  152. 
Brehriik,  68,  71,  90. 

on  the  Huron  character,  84. 
Brinton,  D.  G.,  100,  107. 
Bruyas,  48,  78. 

his  Iroquois  dictionary,  103, 191 . 
Buck,  George,  Onondaga  chief,  \^%. 
Buck,  Chief  John,  41,  43,  86,  161, 
178. 


O 


Canandaigua,  Lake,  9,  13. 
j  Canasatego,  Onondaga  chief,  41. 

reinikes  the  Delawares,  93. 
Canien\;a,  meaning  of,  172. 
Caniengas,  or  Mohawks,  9. 

their  country,  9,  13. 

their  language,  13. 

the  oldest  Iroquois  nation,   13, 

59.  7C'- 
war  with  Mohegans,  19. 

their  ancient  chiefs,  24. 

217 


y\ 


218 


INDEX. 


H.     ^ 


M  . 


Caniengas,  remove  to  Canada,  34. 
their  clans,  53,  56,  154,  155. 
their  name  in  council,  77. 
their  councillors,  154,  155. 
their  towns,  184. 
Canoe  voyaj^es,  188. 
Cartier,  J.,  11,  179. 
Cati.in,  G.,  147. 

Cayuga,  meaning  not  known,  174. 
Cayuga  Lake,  9,  13. 
Cayugas,  their  country,  g,  13. 
their  origin,  13,  27. 
assailed  by  Atotarho,  19. 
join  the  League,  27. 
remove  to  Canada,  34. 
their  clans,  53,  57,  161. 
a  "  younger  nation,"  59,  76. 
their  name  in  council,  78. 
their  councillors,  161. 
their  towtis,  185. 
Champlain   in  the  Huron    country 
16. 

assails  the  Iroquois,  95. 
Cham])lain,  Lake,  9. 
Ckerokees,  II,  18. 

their  language,  II. 
reject  the  League,  32. 
Chicasas,  5 1 . 
Chief,  office  of,  25,  67. 

installation  of,  59,  61. 
succession  of,  124. 
war-chief,  137,  159,  164. 
Chief  matron,  her  function,  27,  65. 
Chippeivays.    See  Ujibways. 
Choctaws,  1 1 . 
Clans,  Iroc[uois,  50. 
origin  of,  51. 
number  of,  53. 

See  Ball,  Hear,  Beaver,  Deer, 
Eel,  Hawk,  Heron,    Snake, 
Snipe,  Tortoise,  Wolf. 
Ci.ARK,  J.  S.,  174,  183. 
Clarkk,  r.  1).,  10,  15. 

Cl.ARKK,   J.  V.    IL,  10,  35,  45,  181, 
183. 

Classes   in   Council,    55,   154,   155, 

156,  157.  158,  159-  " 
Golden,  C,  10,  94. 
Condoling  council,  48,  73. 

proceedings  in,   59,   116,   146, 


Condoling  song,  45. 

explanation  of,  62,  149, 

text  of,  122. 

versilied,  150. 
Conestoiias.     See  Andastes. 
Confederacy.       See    Iroquois    anil 

League. 
Conquered  tribes,  treatment  of,  92, 

95- 
Convention  of  Founders,  28,  75. 
Council  of  League,  21. 

its  formation,  28. 

number  of  members,  29. 

unanimity  rei|uireil,  29. 

classes  in,  55. 

induction  of  members,  61,  151. 

held  at  Onondaga  in  1657,  69. 

composing  quarrels,  69. 

held  in  Philadelphia  in  1742,93. 
Council  Fire,  25,  49,  119,  145,  169. 
Councillors,  29. 

number  of,  29. 

how  selected,  29. 

name  of,  31. 

list  of,  129,  et  seq. 

clans  and  classes  of,  154,  et  seq. 
Coi'WAY,  G.,  90. 
Credit  Ri7>er  Indians,  91. 
Cruelties  of  Indians,  96. 

of  civilized  nations,  97. 
CUOQ,  J.  A.,  52,  100. 

his  ])hilological  works,  102. 

his  Iroquois  dictionary,  192. 
Cusick,  Albert,  153. 
CusicK,  D.,  10,  12,   19,  20,  74,  77, 
178. 

DAW.SON,  J.  W.,  1S7. 
David  of  Schoharie,  42,  152. 
Deer  clan,  53,  55,  159. 
Dekanawidah,  Canienga  chief,  24, 

73.  76- 

his  origin,  24. 
joins  Hiawatha,  25. 
has  no  successor,  31. 
his  claims  as  founder,  31. 
DeUnvares,  or  I.enapes,  t,1,  59. 
their  clans,  58. 
their  sulijcclion,  92. 
a  Ijand  received  into  the  League, 
88. 


\^) 


INDEX. 


219 


De  Schweinitz,  E.,  54,  68,  70. 

Doorkeepers  [Seneras),  28,  79,  139, 
164. 

Eel  clan,  53,  55,  159. 

Elder  nations,  59. 

Ei.i.is,   "  I'olyncsian    Researches," 

188. 
Era  of  IriK|iiois  confederacy,  177. 
Erie,  Lake,  14. 
Erie!,  a.  IIiirun-Iro(|uois  nation,  10. 

their  origin,  15. 

their  overthrow,  15,  178. 

amon<^  the  Iroijuois,  32,  55,  95. 
Euskarians,  or  Jlasi/ues,  187. 

Feast  of  the  Dead,  72. 
Female  siilfrage,  29,  65. 
Fidelity  to  allies.  J2,  89. 
FKiUIKR,  L.,  18S. 
EiTf  Xiititins.     Sec  Iroquois. 
Founders  of  League,  ig,  28,  76. 
Funeral  usages,  71,  127,    152,    167, 
168. 

Genesee  river,  9. 

Georgian  bay,  16. 

Grantl  River  Reserve,  19,  91. 

Great-Tree  People  [Oneii/ns),  78. 

Great- Pipe  People  [Ca\<Ui:;as),  79. 

Greenhalgh  at  Onondaga,  174. 

Hawk  clan,  53,  55. 

ILVWLKY,  C,  184,  1S6. 

Ilayonwalha.     See  Hiawatha. 

HlXKEVVl^LUKR,  J.,  35,  43,  179. 

Heron  clan,  53. 
Hiawatha,  his  history,  21. 

meaning  of  name,  21,  154. 

orthography  of  name,  21,  128, 
154. 

his  projected  league,  23. 

his  Higlit  to  the  Caniengas,  23. 

reception  hy  Dekanavvidah,  25. 

made  a  Canienga  chief,  30. 

myths  relating  to,  34,  87,  180. 

his  reforms.  73. 

his  motives,  86. 

his  name  in  the  chant,  1 19. 

♦The  date  as  prinleil  on  p.  9,  line  4,  is  an  error. 
"  seventeenth." 


Hiawatha,  his  daughter,  i8i. 

his  white  canoe,  182. 
Hill,  Ahram,  Oneida  chief,  46. 
Historical  chant,  },}„  80,  129,  153. 
Historical  traditions,  18,  75. 

frainers  of  the  League,  127. 

Hiawatha's  daughter,  18 1. 
Hochelaga,  1 1. 

Horns,   as   insignia,    67,    125,   145, 
151,  168. 

origin  of  custom,  147. 
Horse  clan,  51. 
Hudson,  voyage  of,  178. 
Hudson  river,  9,  13,  19,  178. 
Huron- Iroquois  nations,  10. 

their  original  country,  10. 

war  with  the  Alligewi,  1 1. 

their  dispeision,  12. 
nurons,nx  Wyamlots,  10. 

their  history,  15. 

among  the  Iro(|uois,  32,  55. 

their  mortuary  customs,  71. 

their  deities,  74. 

their  character,  84. 

their  flight  to  the  Ojihw.iys,  89. 

cause  of  their  overtlirow,  95. 

their  language,  99,  loi. 
H/mn,    national.      See    Condoling 
Song. 

Iberians,  187,  189. 
Indian  character,  83,  1S8. 

misconception  of,  37,  85. 
Indian  social  system,  84,  189. 
Indians  and  whites,  83. 
Installation  of  chiefs,  59,  61. 
Iroipiois,  their  country,  9. 

when  first  known  to  whites,  9,  * 
178. 

their  migrations,  12. 

con(iuer  the  Erics,  15. 

expel  the  Hurons,  16. 

con(iuer    the    Attiwandaronks, 

their  League,  18. 
formation  of  League,  23. 
date  of  the  confederacy,  177. 
name  of  League,  33. 
League  broken  up,  34,  39. 

Sixteenth  century  "  should  be 


vmimlKt, 


-ITTT. 


rz!:\. 


i 


rt 


220 


INDEX, 


IroquSis,  in  Canada,  34. 

llieir  towns.  See  Towns,  Iro- 
quois. 

Ihcir  clans.  See  Clans,  Iro- 
quois. 

their  classes.  See  Classes  in 
Council. 

their  national  hymn.  See  ('on- 
doling  Song. 

their  women,  94. 

their  clnels,  succession  of,  67, 

125- 
their  chief  divinity,   74. 
their  cliaractcr,  37,  S3, 
their  love  of  jjcace,  37,  85. 
their  foreign  jiolicy,  88. 
object  of  thtir  League,  88. 
their  alliances,  89. 
causes  of  ineir  wars,  92,  94. 
treatment  of  subject  tribes,  92. 
adoption  of  enemies,  32,  95. 
their  language.    See  Language, 

Iroquois. 
meaning  of  "  Iroquois,"  17 1. 

Jesuit  missionaries,  41,  67,  C9,  70, 

84,  85. 
Jesuit  "Relations,"  17,  63,65,  67, 

68,  69,  74,  78,  85,  86,  92,  96,  99. 
Johnson,  Chief  George,  43,  44,  77. 
John>on,  Cliief  J.  Smoke,  39. 
his  oflice,  40. 

preserves  tlie  Book  of  Rites,  42. 
Johnson,  Sir  W  illiam,  39. 
Jones,  Chief  Philip,  22. 
Juskeha,  Huron  (livinily,  74. 

Kanicnke.     See  Canienga. 
Kanonsionni,  9. 

meaning  of,  75. 

S]iell  Raiionglisyonny,  126, 152. 
Kanyadariyo,  Seneca  chief,  28,  57, 
70. 

Skanyadariyo    in    chant,    137, 
162. 
Karenna.     See  Condoling  Song. 
Kayancrenh,  meaning  ol,  n,  149, 

202. 

I.AFITAU,  30,  74. 

La  Fort,  Daniel,  45. 


Lamentations,  79,  125,  129,  153. 
Language,  Inxjuois,  12. 

its  (>rigiii  and  dialects,  13. 

description  of,  99. 

Urebeuf  and   Max  MUller  on, 
99. 

works  on,  100. 

phonology,  103. 

grammar,  105. 

abstract  nouns,  107. 

verbal  forms,  108  ct  seq. 

pernianciice  of,  1 13. 

analysis  and  synthesis,  150. 
Laws  of  the  League,  67. 

as  to    succession  of  chiefs,  67, 
124. 

as  to  intertribal  homicide,  68, 
124. 

as  to  mortuary  usages,  69,  126. 

a  "  Great  Reformation,"-  73. 
Lawson,  J.,  15. 

League.     See  Iroquois  aud  Laivs. 
Leagues   common  among    Indians, 

21. 
Le  Mercier  at  Onondaga,  69. 
Le  Moyiie  at  Gnondaga,  174. 
Lenafes.     See  DeUnvares. 
LuNui-ELLow,  IL  \V.,36,  iSi,  183. 
Long-hotise,  24,  28,  75. 

Manabo/.ho,  Ojibway  divinity,  36. 
Maqiia,  meaning  of,  172,  173. 
Matron,  Chief.     .See  Chief  Alatron. 
Ma.\  M'ullicr,  F.,  99. 
Altiigwe.     See  Mingo, 
Migrations,  Iro(iuois,  12,  187. 

Indian,  187. 
Mingo,  meaning  of,  172. 
Missionaries,  Lnglish,  41. 

Jesuit.      See   Jesuit   Missiona- 
>ies. 
Mississagas,  2,],. 

received  by  Iroquois,  91. 
Mississippi  river,  14. 
MohaiJk,  meaning  of,  173. 
Mohawk  river,  9,  13. 
Mohatoks.     See  Canicngas. 
Moltegans,  or  Alohicans,  19. 

war  with  the  Iroquois,  19. 

protected  by  Iroquois,  33. 
Montreal,  11,  l6,  179. 


■■Mi 


INDKX. 


221 


Morgan,  L.  II.,  lo,  31,  50,  54,  55, 

-S,  177- 
Muruiary    customs,    71,     127,    152, 

167,  168. 
MoundbuitJers.     See  Allii^nui. 

aciiuainted  with  waniinini,  24. 
Mourning;  Council.     See  Co)tJuliHi:; 

Council. 


Mourniiii^ 


customs.      See   Funeral 


A'ame-cairiers  [Onondagas),  77. 
NaHtic<'/.\s,  59. 

admitted  into  the  League,  79. 
jWettfial  Nation.     See   Attiwauda- 

ranks. 
Nihaiirontako7i.'a,  78. 

See  Oncidas,  name  in  council. 
Notes  on  the  Canienga  Hook,  146. 
Notes  on  tlic  Onondaga  IjooIc,  166. 

Odatshehte,  Oneida   chief,    26,   76, 

131,  156. 
Ohio,  meaning  of,  176. 
Ohio  River,  14. 
Ojibwiivs,  32. 

allies  of  Iroquois,  32,  S9. 

war  with,  91. 

treaty  witli,  91. 
Oneiila,  meaning  of,  173,  185. 
Oneidas,  their  country,  9,  13. 

their  origin,  13,  25. 

war  with  Mohegans,  19. 

join  the  League,  26, 

their  clans,  53,  56. 

a  '•  younger  nation,"  59,  76. 

their  name  in  Council,  78. 

their  Councillors,  156. 

their  towns,  184. 
Onondaga,  meaning  of,  172,  174. 
Onondaga  castle,  45,  177. 
Onondagas.  their  country,  9,  13. 

their  origin,  13. 

ruled  by  Atolarho,  19. 

join  the  League,  28. 

a  part  remove  to  Canada,  34. 

Reservation  near  Syracuse,  N. 

v.,  19.45.  5«.  I7'7- 
their  Book  of  Rites,  45,  60,  140, 

166. 
orthography  of  Book,  46,  166. 


Onondngns,  their  language,  46. 

their  clans,  53,  57,  157  et  seq. 

an  '•  elder  nalion,"  59,  76. 

their  name  in  Council,  77. 

their  councillors,  157. 

site  of  their  former  capital,  174. 

their  towns,  184. 
Oswego  river,  9,  13,  i86. 
Oyander,  title  of,  65. 

I'ARKMAN,  F.,   16,  72,  160. 

Peace,  preservation  of,  23,  33. 

how  restored,  69. 

love  of,  82,  85. 
Pennsylvania     Historical     Society, 

173.  '79- 
Personification,  146. 
Pictures,  Indian,  20,  26. 
Political  kinship,  59,  76,  156,  157. 
PoWiCLi,,  J.  W.,  100. 
Pre-Aiyans  in  Europe  and  America, 

186. 
Preliminary  ceremony,  the,  49,  117. 
Proper   names,  obsolete,    147,   165, 

l8o. 
Protection  of  weak    tribes   by    Iro- 
quois, 32. 

'Jtiteloes,  32,  59,  79. 
Detawares,  H,  59,  94. 
A'anticokes,  2,1,  59.  79- 
Mohegans,  t,},. 
iMississagas,  33,  91. 
PYRL/liUS,  C,  35,  179. 

Quebec,  11,  179. 

Rawenniyo,  name  of  deity,  148,  149. 

meaning  of,  176. 
Record-keepers,    19,  43,    61,    15S, 

177. 
Relations.     Sac  Jesuil  Relations. 
Religious  sentiment,  149. 
Rknan,  E.,  102. 
Roanoke  River,  15. 
Ronaninholioiiti,  Door-keepers,  79. 

See  Seneeas,  name  in  council. 
Rotisennakehte,  name-carriers,  77. 

See  Onondagas,  name  in  coun- 
cil. 
Royaner,  title  of,  31,  65. 

Sachem,  an  Algonkin  word,  31. 
Sakayengwaraton.  Sccyo/inson,].  S. 


222 


INDEX. 


i 


Saponifs,  or  Sapnnas,  t,Z. 
Scandawati.     See  Skiimniutfi. 
ScilooiARAKT,  II.  K.,  ,?(>,  iSo. 
Seneca,  meaning;  of,  175. 
Seneca,  Lake,  9. 
Si'iitras,  tlicir  country,  9,  ij. 

their  orij^in,  1,5. 

assaileil  by  Atotarho,  19. 

tlieir  ancient  chiefs,  28. 

join  the  League,  2H. 

remain  in  New  York,  35. 

their  clans,  55,  57,  162  e/ si-//. 

an  "elder  nation,"  59,  76. 

their  name  in  council,  79. 

their  languajje,  100. 

their  councillors,  162. 

their  duty  as  door-keepers,  164. 

tlieir  towns,  1,85. 
Sermon,  a  paj^an,  169. 
Shadekaronyes,    Seneca    chief,    28, 

76,  136,  162. 
Six  Nations.     See  Iroquois. 
Six  Nations'  Reserve.     See  Grand 

River. 
Skanawati,  Onondaga  chief,  41,  57, 
137,  164. 

Scandav  nti's  suicide,  160. 
SVeneatek".  Lake,  9. 
Smith,  ^lrs.  E.  A.,  20. 
Smoking  in  council,  49,  1 17. 
Snake  clan,  55. 

Sonontoivane,  meaning  of,  175. 
Sononlowans.     See  Scnecas. 
Soliuonna7ventoiia,  79. 

See  Cayw^as,  name  in  council. 
Spanish  clan,  51. 
Speaker  of  council,  40, 
Squikr,  E.  G.,  172,  175. 
Stadaconfi,  11. 
Stone,  W.  L.,  40,  42,  59,  79. 

Tallii^ewi.     See  Alli:^i'-ti<i. 
Taronhiawagon,    Iro(|uois   divinity, 

35.  74- 
Taoun-ya-wat-ha,  35,  182. 
Tehadirilwkcn,  -Jl,  154. 

See  CanicHi^as,  name  in  Council. 
Tekarihoken,   Canienga   chief,    25, 
30,  77,  129. 
meaning  of,  77. 
Tionontatcs,  or  Tobacco  Auction,  55, 
171. 


Tobacco,  Indian,  172. 
Tobacco  Nation.     See  Tionontates. 
Tortoise    clan,  53,    155,    156,    158, 
159,  161,  163. 

divided,  54,  147, 
Towns,  Iroipiois,  50. 

list  of,  in   IJook  of  Rites,  118, 

I47. 
deserted  sites,  146. 
Treaty  of  Iroquois  with  the  Dutch, 

89. 
Treaty  of  Iroquois  with  the  English, 

89. 
Treaty  of  Iroquois  with   the  Ojib- 

ways,  32,  89,  91. 
Trumium.l,  J.  II.,  100. 
Turkey  clan,  58. 
Tuscaroras,  their  origin,  10. 
their  migrations,  14. 
join  the   Iro(|uois,  32,  79,  152. 
their  clans,  53. 
a  "  younger  nation,"  59. 
Tittelocs,  18. 

received  by  Iro(iuois,  32, 59,  79. 

Wampum,  23. 

known  to  Moundbuildcrs,  24. 

mourning,  73,    127,    141,    167, 
169,  195. 
Wampum-keepers,  19. 
Wampum-records,  22. 

reading  of,  61. 
Wampum  strings,  24,  46,  63,  70,  73, 

127. 
War-chief,  137,  159,  164. 
Wars  of  self-defence,  92. 
Wars  of  extermination,  83,  94. 
WiiiTNKY,W.  D.,  1S7. 
WlI.KlK,  J.,  loi. 
Wilson,  1).,  188. 
Wolf  clan,  S3,  147,  155,   156,  159, 

161,  163. 
Women,  condition  of,  64. 

as  peacemakers,  92. 

regard  for,  167. 
iVyamiots.     See  Ilurons. 

Yondennase.     See  Condoling  Coun- 
cil. 
Younger  nations,  59. 

Zeisberger,  68,  70. 


wmrA 


